Anywhere Place
by ogeemattyb
Summary: What if Stiles was the same age as Derek when he started to fall for Kate. What if Stiles befriended the wolves without knowing what they were. What if Stiles became Laura's best friend. What if on their way to find each other they fell in love. -Or- The one where I wanted everyone alive and happy. So I aged up Stiles and changed the story a bit.
1. Tell Me a Story

So i was gonna wait to post this story until after I had it finished, but I couldn't wait! So here I am posting when I shouldn't be. But I hope you guys like it anyway!

I also aged up Erica to be a part of the Hale family though she retains her last name. Also aged up for story purposes, (although probably won't have major impact on the story) Boyd, Jackson, and Lydia. Not sure about Isaac yet, but probably not.

I kinda took Stiles a little AU, but I wanted him to be new to Beacon Hills and I think I did it in a different way. Also I like the idea of Artist!Stiles so that is a thing that happened. I have major feels for both the Hale and Stilinski families so I am sorry about that ahead of time.

I don't have this one all written like I did my last one so updates won't be regular and for that I am sorry, but I am going to do my best to be somewhat regular with them. Hopefully one every other week or so.

Title is a song by Katie Costello. All chapters are Lyrics from the song. Please check it out. It is amazing!

I am sure there is more I want to say here but I can't think of it right now. Please enjoy!

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Moving around was always something we did. Mom took jobs all over the country. She was an artist, mainly doing murals and other larger jobs. If there was a job that caught her interest, she wanted to do it. She loved it. My Dad loved my mom so much that he didn't mind. He generally took odd jobs wherever we were. Usually doing private security, security guard, or rent-a-cop kinds of jobs. He even tried his hand at bounty hunting once. I didn't mind too much either. I got to travel all over. Even over seas a few times. I've met tons of interesting people, and seen things most can only dream of.

But mom got sick. She hid it well at first, but gradually the moves started slowing down and became more spread out. Eventually she had to be hospitalized. I was twelve when that happened. Dad dealt with it by going to night school at a local college. He wanted to be a real cop. I stayed with mom in the hospital. She was never out of my sight and I was never out of hers. But eventually the brain tumor was too much and she passed away. We were both with her when it happened and I will never forget the look on my dad's face when she took her final breath.

Dad and I had a small ceremony in the hospital chapel. We were the only ones there besides a few of the nurses that came to know us. We were the only family we had left. So dad finished school and got a job with the local force, and I stayed home doing school work and taking care of the house. Mom's ashes sat on the mantle of the fireplace, and I would sit and talk to her every day. She was my best friend for so long, that I didn't know who else to turn to. I think it hurt dad when he would hear me talking, so I limited it to when he wasn't home.

That was three years ago. Dad heard about a position in the Sheriff's office opening up in mom's home town and thought that it would be a nice way to remember her by. I was pretty excited myself. I never got to see where she grew up and I felt that this was going to be one more way that she and I were connected. Dad was going to be a Deputy, and I was going to go to high school. I begged him not to send me, but he thinks that my social skills are a bit lacking. And I suppose they are, but I never needed them before. And I don't think I will need them anytime soon.

So that is how I find myself at Beacon Hills High School. My first day has not been the best first day ever. After looking over course selections I realized that I am actually in advanced placement for most of my classes. I guess when all you have to do all day is study, you learn a few things. No one really talks to me, and I can see some of the kids give me weird looks. It is just after the winter break, starting in a new school in the middle of the year won't be easy, but Dad really wants me to do this. Maybe after a few weeks I can convince him to let me go back to home schooling.

I am not the most attractive of people, but I'm not ugly either. Maybe it's the tall gangly thing I have going on. It tends to make me look more nerdish than anything. And I often get people telling me about my large brown eyes and how they make me look like a little kid. I am just 147lbs of sarcasm, wrapped in a ball of spaz. It's a pretty great combination, at least I like to think so. There are a few jocks, or what I presume to be jocks, that look at me and laugh. And a few of what must be the future prom queens of America sending me looks of distaste. I just roll my eyes, and ignore them. Even one of the teachers finds me repulsive. His name is Mr. Harris, and he is a total dick, he is already trying to embarrass me in front of my new peers. He teaches AP Physics, and I am only one of three sophomores in the class, the rest are Juniors. One of them is a strawberry blonde. She was one of the future prom queens. She is probably dating someone on the football team or something; I think I heard that lacrosse was the big thing here. The other is a guy with short but perfectly gelled dark hair, bright green eyes and a body to die for. So Maybe I should mention that I am gay. Yeah, it's a thing. My dad was pretty cool with it when I finally came out to him a few years ago. He said that he loves me no matter what, I just hope mom would have felt the same way. But this guy was really hott, I mean like third degree burns of hottness. So of course I got sat next to him, but he just ignores me the whole of class. Typical. I am so below anyone's radar. Great social experience my ass. Thanks Dad.

I am so glad when lunch comes and I can get outside. The high school isn't that big, but after not being around that many people for a really long time, well it kind of gets to you. I take my sack lunch and go out to find a table on the lawns. There is a good one under a tree that's empty, so I sit down and pull out my sketchbook to draw while I eat. Mom taught me how to use most mediums, but pencils, charcoals, and paints will always be my favorite. I don't get to paint as often as I would like, but now that we are settling down and have no plans of moving, I think I might try to get back into it.

For now, it is a trusty pencil. I draw like someone would keep a journal. Instead of writing about how I feel, I draw it out. Sometimes it's a person, sometimes a landscape, and sometimes I couldn't tell you what the hell it is. I take a bite out of my apple and continue drawing the profile of Mr. Harris, but making him appear like the evil villain I know he is, when a shadow falls over me. When I look up it is the guy from my Physics class. "Uh… Hi." He doesn't say anything, just stands there staring at me. "Can I help you?" The silence is palpable. I don't deal well with silence, at least around other people when conversation should be had, and I can't place the look he is giving me. It isn't a glare or a menacing look. It's almost confusion. Then a girl comes up behind him.

"Don't mind him. He gets a little grouchy when he's hungry. You're the new kid right? The new Deputy's son?" She sets her tray on the table and plops down holding her hand out to me. "I'm Laura Hale, and that's my brother Derek." She has the same long dark hair Derek. They also share the bright green eyes, defiantly related but Laura looks to be the older one.

"Uh, yeah, I am." I take her proffered hand, "Stiles."

"That's an interesting name." she says with a raised eyebrow taking a bite of her sandwich.

"Nickname. No one can pronounce my first name, not even my dad sometimes."

Then another girl is there and she sets herself down next to me. I quickly close my sketchbook and put it away. I don't really share my art with anyone, I used to show mom, but well... This new girl has long curly blonde hair, brown eyes and looks like she is about to take a bite out of me. "Hey, cutie."

"Erica, leave him alone. It's his first day."

The look she gives me is predatory and a bit intimidating. Not that I am one that is easily intimidated. "I don't know Laura, if I don't scoop him up then I might miss my chance."

I laugh nervously, "Um, I'm gay, so…"

"OH MY GOD! I totally have a gay best friend now!" Erica grabs me up in a hug and starts giggling. Her enthusiasm is kinda contagious. I find myself smiling. Maybe it won't be so hard to make friends here after all. I can tell she is being sarcastic, but at the same time there might be a layer of truth there too. Erica and Laura keep sending looks at Derek, who is still standing there. He hasn't moved since he came up to the table.

"Derek, are you going to sit down?" He is still staring at me; he does sit though, but remains silent for the rest of lunch. Erica and Laura fill me in on all the gossip of the school. I find out that Erica is Derek's best friend, and is one of their distant cousins. She is in the same grade as Derek and I, while Laura, Derek's older sister, is a senior. And she starts to grill me about my life. I was half expecting this, so I am prepared. It feels a little weird, but comfortable at the same time.

"So, Stiles, what brings you to Beacon Hills? There is nothing here. Except trees, trees and more trees. I can't wait till I graduate this year so I can finally go to college and get the hell out of this town. New York, here I come!"

"This is where my mom grew up. So when my dad found out about the job opening he decided that we should move here. Try and get to know where she grew up."

"Oh, what does your mom do?" Here is the part I knew I was going to hate the most. Not because I don't like to talk about her, but because I don't want any pity.

"She passes away a few years ago."

"Oh, that sucks." I am glad she didn't say I'm sorry. That is most people's reaction when they find out. And really, what is there to be sorry for? There is no pity in her voice, and for that I am grateful.

"Yeah. She was an artist. This is the real first place that we have ever settled down. I mean we lived in the last place for about four years, but it never really felt like home."

"Why'd you move so much?"

"She took jobs all over the place. Painted quite a few murals, worked with others and did mostly larger scale projects. I have lived in thirty-six different states and five different countries."

"Wow! That would be awesome!"

"It was for the most part."

"What did you do for school?"

"I was home schooled. Took classes online. This is the first actual school I have been to."

"That must be quite a change."

"Yeah, I came out here to get away from the crowd inside. Sorry if I invaded your guy's table."

"Oh, it's no problem. But just so you know, this is kinda the outcast land." She laughs at that. "We don't really get on with the more 'popular' crowd." She even puts popular in air quotes. I think I will fit in just fine.

"It's cool. I think one of them already doesn't like me."

"Let me guess, hair so stiff you could use it as toothpicks, perfect posture, and a clenched jaw that you could cut glass with."

"Uh, yeah, actually. That is a pretty good description."

"Yeah, that's Jackson. He thinks he hot shit just because he is the lacrosse captain and is only a sophomore. His girlfriend, Lydia, is kinda snooty and thinks she is God's gift to us mere mortals."

"She the one with the strawberry blonde hair, and one of our future prom queens of America types." She taps her nose and points at me. "Yeah, she is in my AP Chemistry class. She looked at me like I was gum on the bottom of her shoe."

"So you have a class with Der-bear here then."

Derek's eyes go wide. "Laura, I told you not to call me that."

"Ah, he does speak. I thought he might communicate in grunts and hand gestures." I flail my arms about a bit trying to mock some sign language.

Laura and Erica both give large laughs, and Derek goes back to staring at me. More like glaring actually. "Oh, I think you are gonna fit in just fine with us Stiles. Welcome to the pack." Derek's eyes go wide again, but says nothing. Really? What is with this guy? The bell rings and we all get up to go. "So if you aren't doing anything after school we should totally hang out."

"I think I might be able to. I still have some unpacking to do, but I'm sure my dad wouldn't mind. He wanted me to be more social anyway."

"Sweet, we can come over after school and help you out." Laura waves as she leaves, Derek trailing not too far behind her. He casts one more glance over his shoulder at me then turns and continues on.

"So what class do you have next?" Erica keeps pace with me, and I grab my schedule out of my bag.

"Uh, American History with Anderson."

"OH! We have a class together! This must be destiny." She links her arm in mine and we head off to class.

The rest of the day flies by pretty fast. Classes aren't so bad, and I do end up sharing AP English with both Derek and Erica. After the last bell rings they walk with me to my locker. Erica has been talking nonstop, and won't stop flirting with me, but I think it's just her way of being friendly. Derek is quiet. Something tells me by the looks Erica gives him that he isn't normally this silent. But I am able to fill in conversation just fine. It's different having actual people to talk to. I always had mom and dad, but this is different. Maybe high school won't be as bad as I thought it would be.

They give me a ride back to my house in Laura's and Derek's shared car. Dad said that he would get me something after we've settled down and I get my driver's license, and I am pretty happy about that. It makes this move here seem more permanent. As we walk inside I feel a bit embarrassed. There are boxes everywhere and the house is a complete mess. I mean we did only move in like three days ago, but still. "Sorry for the mess guys."

Erica tosses her hair over her shoulder, "Why are you sorry? You guys like just moved in. Of course it's gonna be crazy."

"Yeah, so we gonna go up to your room or hang out down here?" Laura looks like she is trying her best to not be nosey, but is failing miserably at it.

"We can go upstairs. My room is a little bit better than the rest of the house." I lead them to the stairs. "My dad has been trying to get himself situated at in his new office, and wants to get to know the other deputies, the Sheriff, and the town better. I'll probably end up unpacking most of the house by myself."

"Dude, you gotta stop apologizing. And we can totally come over this weekend and help you out."

"You really don't have to do that." The offer is so unexpected. It would be awesome to have other people around, but I would never ask for their help.

"Laura's right. And it's not like there is much else to do here in Beacon. Not unless you have a _girlfriend._" The way she says the word with venom dripping off of it, and the way she looks at Derek says it all. He has one, and Erica doesn't like her.

"Erica, lay off. Kate never did anything to you. And she isn't my girlfriend. We just hang out." Those are the most words he has spoken around me since lunch. I really want to know what his deal is. I mean what did I do to warrant such blatant distain?

"Oh really? Is that why I saw her the other day at the store with a hickey on her neck? Or is she seeing someone else?" Derek blushes pretty fiercely, and Laura just has a pained expression on her face. I have spent so much time watching others, that I quickly pick up on the way people feel, and what their reactions mean. Erica hates this Kate, and it isn't just a regular kind of hate. It is an almost loathing. Laura doesn't seem to like her either, but won't say anything about it. She probably doesn't want to hurt Derek's feelings. And that is probably why she wasn't sitting with us at lunch today. Derek is smitten, but he is trying to keep the relationship a secret. I don't know why you would want to do that though. Maybe it's just from Erica's obvious dislike.

"You just don't like her because she's twenty-five." Or that could be the reason. Um, Kate is nine years older than Derek? That is kinda all sorts of illegal. I mean good for him for getting someone who is older to be interested, but at the same time, uh, gross?

"That is only one of her many terrible attributes. Shall I go on to name a few more?" Erica splays herself on my bed and pulls out a nail file from her purse. She is looking at her nails with more interest than this conversation, she isn't any less invested, but she is showing her way of not caring what Derek thinks. The tension is building, and I just look to Laura for an answer of how to diffuse the situation, but she won't meet my gaze.

"Stiles, can I use your bathroom?" It's the first time Derek has directly spoken to me even if he isn't looking at me when he speaks the words.

"Uh, yeah. It's the second door on the left." He nods and swiftly exits the room. Laura lets out a breath she was holding, and plops down next to Erica on the bed.

"Is she really that bad?" I can't help but ask.

"Worse." Then Erica lowers her voice and motions me forward so I can hear her. "I am pretty sure she is only toying with his emotions. But I can't prove it, and he won't listen to me. He thinks he's in love with her." Laura grips Erica's arm and not five seconds later Derek walks into the room. More tension. Yeah, I thought this was supposed to be fun. Laura must sense my thoughts.

"So what do you need help unpacking first?"

We set about the rest of the afternoon putting my clothes on hangers in the closet, and putting up my posters, and artwork on the walls. Most of it is mom's stuff, but there are a few pieces of my own. When we come across a box of my sketchbook journals, I just close it back up and put it in the corner. I still am not ready for anyone to see them yet.

Then I hear Derek's stomach growl, and I look at the time. "Oh, guys, I'm sorry. I didn't realize, it's like six. You want me to make something to eat? I mean that is if you wanted to stay, if you can't that is totally cool. You probably just want to go home. I get it." My heart is pumping a little bit, but I can't help the small insecurities that plague me. I haven't had friends like this before, so I don't know exactly how to act.

"Stiles." Laura puts her hands on my shoulders facing me. "You gotta calm down. We would love something to eat. You gonna order a pizza?"

"Oh, um, actually, I usually cook. Dad should be home soon, and I should have dinner ready for him." They all give me a strange look, but I ignore it and beckon them to come back downstairs. The kitchen is the only room in the house that is completely put away. It was the first thing I did when we were finished moving the boxes. It is usually where I spend the most time anyway, and we needed it so we could eat. "If you guys want to get started on your homework or something, I should have it ready in about a half an hour." The big pot is already on the stove. I was planning spaghetti and meatballs so I should have enough to cover three extra mouths. If not, I don't even mind skipping the meatballs.

Erica and Laura both get out some school work, but Derek washes his hands and then comes over. "How can I help?" He looks so earnest, that I am going to let all of his past gruffness, and silence slide, and I get him to work on making the meatballs. All the stuff is laid out and I help him with mixing everything together. The girls are whispering at the table, and I can see Derek blushing every once in a while, but I can't hear what they say, so I just let it go. But now that I am this close to Derek I find myself getting a little flustered. The smoothness of his skin is only impaired by the light five o'clock shadow he has going on. I wonder if it would be coarse when it is more like scruff, and how it would feel. Then there is his frame. We are about the same height, but he is a bit broader in the shoulders, and his is muscles are a bit more developed than mine. I'm just a runner, but it looks like he spends some serious time in the gym. And I am glad when I get the sauce cooking and the aroma takes over the kitchen because I can't even get over the way he smells. I can't place the scent, but it screams comfort. All of a sudden I am jealous of Kate, and I have to move off to the freezer to find the bread for the night, just to get away from him. I have only been here for three days, have known him less than seven hours, and I already have a crush on an unobtainable straight guy. Why is this my life?

Erica and Laura laugh about something, and Derek is grumbling under his breath, but again, I ignore it focusing on the food. I put the bread in the preheated oven and start to get plates and silverware out. Laura and Erica come over then and take the dishes out of my hands to go and set the table. "You know you guys don't have to help me right. I mean you are my guests and all."

"We know. We just do this every night at our own house, doesn't make much difference to us. Plus whatever you're making smells delicious. So it's the least we can do." I didn't know having friends my own age would be like this. Now I'm kinda glad that Dad made me go to high school.

After pulling the meatballs out of the oven and then the bread I prepare everything to come to the table and actually sit down to eat. Normally, I make up a plate for dad and put it in the fridge and he eats it when he gets home. It's been a while since I have had a proper sit down meal. "Dig in!"

"You first. This is your home and you prepared the food. You should be the first one served." At first I think Laura is joking, but she is completely serious.

"Really, it's okay."

"No, we insist." She doesn't give me much option, and starts to serve me. She fills my plate with spaghetti and ladles a generous amount of sauce with five meatballs. Then she serves herself, and it isn't until she is done that Erica and Derek dish up their own plates. I really don't know what to think here. I mean, is this normal? I thought that it would be a mad grab for food or something. But who am I to judge. I talk to an urn with my mother's ashes in it. Don't really have much room to judge others.

"So won't your mom be missing you for dinner?" I don't think I heard any of them call home the whole time we've been here.

"Not really, Aunt Talia is pretty cool. She knows that we do stuff after school sometimes, and not all of the family is there for every meal anyway."

"How big of a family do you have?"

"Oh, I would say about twenty of us give or take?"

"Twenty?" My eyes bug out a bit at Laura when she says this. Who has a family that big?

Derek looks a bit amused at my reaction, but quickly clarifies, "But not all of them live in town, and only about nine of us live at the house." I calm a bit at that.

"Still nine people in one house? I can't even imagine what that would be like."

"You'll have to come over sometime. I'm sure mom would love to have you." Laura says without batting an eye. But Derek looks scandalized. He schools his expression almost as fast as he makes it, I am getting really weird vibes from him. I don't know if he hates me or likes me. It's very confusing.

"Yeah, Aunt Talia wouldn't care. Wouldn't it be nice if Stiles came over Derek?" She asks this like it's more of a challenge more than a question. What is going on and how did I miss it? I feel like there is another conversation happening here, and I am not in on it.

"If he wants come over and immerse himself into the crazy, who am I to stop him." Well if that is reassuring.

We all finish eating and I start to clear the table, but Erica and Laura grab everything from my hands. "What are you girls doing?"

"You made dinner, so we will clean up. Relax, take a load off."

"Uh-"

"No, we got this, really." Laura says this with no room for argument so I don't say anything further, so I move off to the living room to start unpacking some of the pictures and other things I want to hang on the wall and set out on the mantle of the fake fireplace. I was kind of upset that it was fake, but the electric one dad promised to buy will make things a little better. Derek wanders in and wordlessly starts helping me. It's kind of like he knows where I want to put things without me saying anything. But these guys are so far from what I thought was normal, that I am not even sure how I should feel about them anymore. I mean I am obviously going to stay friends with them, seeing as they are the only ones that talked to me all day, but there is something about them that is keeping me on edge. Not in a bad way, but it feels like there is something they aren't saying.

After we get about half of the boxes in the living room done, the girls come back in with their bags looking like they are ready to leave. And when I look at the clock it is pushing eight. "Thanks for your help guys. See you at school tomorrow?"

"Yeah, we can pick you up if you like?" Laura is swinging her keys waiting for Derek to get his bag from the kitchen.

"Uh, that's okay, I like to walk."

She raises an eyebrow at me. "Dude, the school is like three miles from here."

"I know, but I usually run about five in the mornings anyway, so a three mile walk is nothing."

"You do seem like a runner." She is giving me a once over again and I feel like she is undressing me with her eyes. It's kind of making me uncomfortable.

"Gotta get my excess energy out somehow. ADHD. I used to take pills, but I never liked the way I felt afterward, found out running helped burn some of it off, plus home schooling requires some kind of physical activity, so it worked for me."

"No need to defend yourself. I get it. Derek runs in the morning too. Maybe you could run together. He could show you some of the better trails in the preserve." She looks over to Derek as he walks back in the room giving her a look that says that is the last thing he wants to do.

"No worries. I think I can manage by myself. Thanks anyway."

She sends a glare at Derek that actually makes him wince and then turns back to me. "Okay, well see you at school tomorrow, and we will totally come over this weekend to help you unpack some more." As she walks by she pats my shoulder. Erica wraps me in a hug rubbing her hand down my back and her cheek against mine, and gives me a cheery 'see ya!' Derek gives a slight nod, but doesn't move to touch me. As soon as they are out the door, I lock it and go over to the couch and flop down. What was all that? Did I seriously just make three friends, and how did they insert themselves into my life already after only knowing them for eight hours?

About fifteen minutes after they leave the front door opens and Dad is walking into the room with an impressed look on his face. "Felt ambitious after school?" His eyes skim the walls and fall on a few of Mom's paintings. His eyes mist over for a second before he pulls his gaze away.

"Not really, I've actually had a strange day."

"Oh? Something happen as School?" I shake my head as I lead him into the kitchen to warm up his supper in the microwave and grab him a glass of milk from the fridge.

"No, yes, I don't know?"

"Well which is it?" He asks with a laugh.

"I think I made some friends?"

"You think?"

"Okay, I made some new friends today. But I'm not sure one of them likes me all that much. I mean he wasn't rude, except he was, but his sister and cousin like me just fine. They didn't even flinch when I said I was gay. In fact Erica squealed when I said I was. Laura didn't seem to care, and Derek, well, he didn't really say much of anything to me at all. I don't think he has a problem with it, he even helped me make dinner."

"He what?"

I place dad's food down in front of him and pour my own glass of milk to sit with him while he eats. "Oh, they came over after school. Laura gave me a ride home and they came up to my room to help me unpack some. Then when I saw the time, it was like six and I offered to feed them since they helped me out. Laura and Erica did their homework while Derek and I made supper. I didn't ask them to help, they just kind of insisted. Said they would be doing it anyway if they were at home. Then when the girls forced me to let them do the dishes I started to unpack the living room and Derek came in a helped me do that too."

"They forced you to let them do the dishes?" And okay, that sounds crazy now that I hear it coming out of his mouth.

"Seriously, I mean, I doubt even you could say no to Laura. She has got some crazy going on, not like psychotic crazy, but like major mojo crazy. I don't know how to explain it. They are gonna come over this weekend to help unpack the rest of the house. Is that okay?"

"I think it's great that you made some friends, Stiles. Just don't abuse their friendship."

"I know, I would make something for them to eat while they're here, and they even invited me to come over sometime to their place for dinner."

"Do you happen to know their last name?"

"Um, I think it's Hale?"

"Wow."

"What?"

"Nothing, I've just heard a few stories about them the last few days from some of the guys down at the station. Nothing big, just they seem to be a pretty prominent family in the area. Lots of influence, pretty well liked, they live just outside of town in this huge house."

"Yeah, they said that there are nine people living there, and that they often have up to twenty family members present at any given time. Can you believe that? Twenty people in one house?"

Dad looks sad for a minute. "Son, I know it's just the two of us-"

"Dad, it's cool. I mean why would you want to have twenty people in one house? I like that it's just the two of us. It's peaceful." So some of that might be a bit of a stretch on the truth, I mean I do like that it is just the two of us, but at the same time, I would like to have a bit more life here too. But he feels guilty enough already I don't need to add to it. He really does try his best for me.

"Sorry I haven't been around much the last few days."

I sigh and roll my eyes. "Really, I'm fine. You have a new job to settle into, and we have to get you well-liked by everyone if you want to run for Sheriff."

"Sheriff?"

"What, it could happen." He smiles and I know that it is a guilty smile, but he doesn't look as sad anymore. I hate to see him sad. "Well, I'm beat, so I am gonna go up and do my homework before I head off to bed. If you aren't going to wash your plate, at least rinse it off please?" I stand and start to walk to the stairs.

"Who is the parent here?" This time I get a genuine smile and laugh. "Night, son."

"Night, Dad."

When I get to my room I grab my backpack and pull out my work but then my eyes land on my sketchbook and I put the homework away and open the sketchbook to a fresh page. My pencil starts moving across the page before I even realize what I am drawing. Then I rummage through my colored pencils and reach out for a bright, yet pale blue, and a deep amber. When I am done a picture of Derek, Laura, and Erica is staring back at me. Erica's and Laura's eyes are the amber color while Derek's is the icy blue. It takes me a second to realize what is wrong with the picture, their eye colors are all wrong. Erica's are a dark warm brown, and Derek and Laura's are more of a hazel-green color. I don't know what I was thinking while I was doing this, but I am too tired to even start to ponder how weird the whole day was. So I change into a pair of pajama shorts and strip out of my shirt to fall face first into bed and promptly fall asleep.

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So many plans for this story. Can't wait to see what you guys think about it! Please let me know!


	2. Staring at that Same Familiar Face

Not all the chapters will over lap POV like this, I just needed to get Stiles start and then some major reactions from Derek. From now one it will switch and there won't be repeats of conversations. Sorry for that, I tried to skip over the unnecessary parts.

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The instant he walks in the door his scent washed over the room. At first I don't know what it is exactly I am smelling, but then I connect it to home. How can this new kid smell like home? I don't mean my house home, but like a place that I could and want to call home. I am so confused. I don't dare look at him out of fear that I will give everything away. It is taking all my self-control just to keep my eyes from shifting. I keep inhaling his scent because of course he gets sat next to me. This is going to be torture every day, better get used to it fast I guess.

His emotions are all over the place making his scent get tainted with something muddled, and his heartbeat is erratic. I don't know what is up with this kid, but I can't think about it. I just have to get through class and then I can see Kate later. I told her I would take her out to dinner tonight, even if she has to be the one to drive. Laura is like a Nazi with the car. It is supposed to be both of ours, but I rarely get to drive it.

I am grateful when lunch comes, so many people in one place tends to play havoc with my senses. Being a werewolf in high school is no easy feat. Not that anyone knows, no one can know about us. I've thought about telling Kate, but I don't know if I can trust her with that secret yet. We have only been together for a few months. We only just started kissing on New Year's. As I walk out to our table away from the cafeteria, I catch his scent again. And there he is. Sitting at our regular table. His scent draws me in again, and before I know it I am standing at the table staring down at him. I don't know what to make of this guy, how can he be so confusing to me? "Uh, hi. Can I help you?" His voice is light and hesitant. Even it draws me in. I can hear Laura and Erica approaching, but I can't stop looking at this guy.

"Don't mind him. He gets a little grouchy when he's hungry. You're the new kid right? The new Deputy's son?" Laura sits down and they start to talk a bit, she introduces herself and me. She isn't reacting to his scent at all, so am I the only one who can smell it? He offers his name back, and says something about a nickname, but 'Stiles' sticks in my head. Erica sits down next to him giving him a predatory look. I have to tamper down the growl that wants to escape me.

"Erica, leave him alone. It's his first day."

"I don't know Laura, if I don't scoop him up then I might miss my chance." I must have let out a growl after all. She looks at me out of the corner of her eye, but I keep my face neutral so as to not give anything away. Something I have perfected over the years of having to deal with Erica, Laura, and my younger sister Cora. They are all so nosey.

Stiles lets out a small laugh, "Um, I'm gay, so…" Erica springs on him wrapping him in a hug and I know I let out a growl after that. I can't help it. Wish I knew why I was reacting like this. The wolf is just hovering at the surface now. When Laura asks if I am going to sit down I am finally able to snap myself out of it a bit to consciously make the choice to do so. I keep my eyes on Stiles though, there is something about him that I can't shake off.

They start up a friendly conversation but I am not really paying attention. Then they start to talk about why Stiles is here and I make sure to listen to everything he says. "So, Stiles, what brings you to Beacon Hills? There is nothing here. Except trees, trees and more trees. I can't wait till I graduate this year so I can finally go to college and get the hell out of this town. New York, here I come!" Laura was always a bit crass when delving for information. I think it has something to do with being the oldest and the next in line as Alpha. Mother has been training her and it has given her somewhat of a big head. Erica and I are often helping her to deflate it.

"This is where my mom grew up. So when my dad found out about the job opening he decided that we should move here. Try and get to know where she grew up." There is an edge of happiness and sadness at the same time in his voice.

Sometimes Laura doesn't know when to leave well enough alone. "Oh, what does your mom do?"

"She passes away a few years ago." There is the sadness again, but at the same time it is settled. Like he has accepted this and it doesn't cause him pain to think about. Just the memories of her.

"Oh, that sucks." I want to growl at Laura for being tactless, but he actually seems to be thankful that she was. I guess if he is okay with talking about her, he wouldn't want pity from anyone. I wouldn't either.

"Yeah. She was an artist. This is the real first place that we have ever settled down. I mean we lived in the last place for about four years, but it never really felt like home."

"Why'd you move so much?"

"She took jobs all over the place. Painted quite a few murals, worked with others and did mostly larger scale projects. I have lived in thirty-six different states and five different countries."

"Wow! That would be awesome!"

"It was for the most part." Honest answers. He really did like it. He must not have had many friends traveling so much. That had to be hard. Not that I can say much, my only friends are family members. But in a pack you don't need much more. I used to have more, but after last year I let them fall to the way side. They were superficial anyway.

"What did you do for school?"

"I was home schooled. Took classes online. This is the first actual school I have been to."

"That must be quite a change."

"Yeah, I came out here to get away from the crowd inside. Sorry if I invaded your guy's table."

"Oh, it's no problem. But just so you know, this is kinda the outcast land." She laughs at that. "We don't really get on with the more 'popular' crowd." That is an understatement. They are mostly jealous of us, but are too proud to say as much outright. Instead they look down on us, or try to be our friends under false pretenses. I have not met many others that could be exceptions to the rule. Kate seems like she could be one, but she is older and not in high school. There was Paige, but thinking about her is painful and I try not to. It only happened last year, but it feels like it happened only yesterday.

"It's cool. I think one of them already doesn't like me."

"Let me guess, hair so stiff you could use it as toothpicks, perfect posture, and a clenched jaw that you could cut glass with."

"Uh, yeah, actually. That is a pretty good description."

"Yeah, that's Jackson. He thinks he hot shit just because he is the lacrosse captain and is only a sophomore. His girlfriend Lydia is kinda snooty and thinks she is God's gift to us mere mortals."

"She the one with the strawberry blonde hair, and one of our future prom queens of America types." She taps her nose and points at him. "Yeah, she is in my AP Physics class. She looked at me like I was gum on the bottom of her shoe."

"So you have a class with Der-bear here then."

I can't believe she just called me that, actually I can, but really? "Laura, I told you not to call me that."

"Ah, he does speak. I thought he might communicate in grunts and hand gestures." Stiles does a few movements with his hands and arms attempting, well I don't know what, I am distracted by his fingers. Long and nimble. I have to push the thoughts from my head. How can I be reacting to him like this? It doesn't make any sense.

Laura and Erica both laugh, and I can't help but return to glaring at him. Who is this kid? "Oh, I think you are gonna fit in just fine with us Stiles. Welcome to the pack." I know my eyes bulge out a bit when she says that. Is she trying to give us away? "So if you aren't doing anything after school we should totally hang out." I can't and she knows as much.

"I think I might be able to. I still have some unpacking to do, but I'm sure my dad wouldn't mind. He wanted me to be more social anyway."

"Sweet, we can come over after school and help you out." She gets up and leaves, but I am hot on her tail. After we make it into the hallways I start in on her.

"Really? Part of the pack? What are you thinking? And you know that I have plans tonight. I can't come."

She keeps her voice low and calm, but the power is there behind her voice all the same. "You could smell him right? I have never met a human that wasn't part of the pack that smelled more like it than even some of us do." So she did smell it after all, but that isn't really what I caught when his scent hit me. "And he is new here and needs to make a few friends. I want to make sure he doesn't get hurt. I don't know why he smells the way he does, but I want to find out. Don't you?"

I can't deny that I do, but at the same time it makes me want to stay as far away from him as possible. Mostly because I think I might know, but I'm not ready for that. "But I have a date tonight." I know it's a bit petulant but there really isn't any other reason for me to say no.

"Too bad. This is more important." And her voice leaves no room for argument. She may not be Alpha yet, but she is higher in the pack than I am and I can't fight her on this. It isn't important enough.

"Fine." I walk away from her and pull out my phone and start a text to Kate. I can't call her for fear of hearing the sadness in her voice. 'So I won't be able to make out date tonight. Family stuff. Maybe tomorrow?'

It doesn't take long to get a response. ' awe, I was really looking forward to tonight!'

'I know, but I can't get out of this. Sorry.'

'*sigh* It's okay, I guess I will just have to wait for tomorrow then.'

'Thanks, tomorrow then.'

Now I have another reason to not like this guy. He shows up and in less than a day his is messing with my life. Things have been hard over the last year. Mom has been great about it, giving me my space when I need it, and being there when I don't. And Peter has backed off some not always being there the way he used to be. I used to be pretty close to him, but after Paige, well I haven't seen much of him at all. Erica and Laura have been with me almost constantly. At least until I met Kate. The guilt is something that I will live with for forever, but when I'm with her it is eased a bit. I know Paige would want me to move on and be happy. But I don't know if I could ever love someone else the way I loved her. The fact that I am the reason she is dead weighs heavily on me and it has changed the way I look at things.

The rest of the day is tainted by the words from Laura, and Stiles scent permeating the hallways. He is even in mine and Erica's AP English class. But I just let them sit together and talk while I try my best to not breathe in through my nose. He seems less jittery than earlier, but I guess if this was my first day in an actual school, I would be pretty jitter too.

We drive him back to his house, apparently he was going to walk. As we walk into the house, the smell of pack hits me like a wall. Now I know what Laura was talking about. It is not as strong as I thought it would be, but it is enough to make me scrunch up my nose and take a deep breath of it in. Who is this guy? I miss most of the conversation as we head up the stairs, but I think he is apologizing. Why, I have no idea, who knows.

"Dude, you gotta stop apologizing. And we can totally come over this weekend and help you out." Sometimes I wonder about Laura and her motives. Most of the time I can read what she is doing or where she is going with something, as her future first Beta it is something that will come to help me, but with Stiles, I have no clue what she is thinking.

He looks surprised, and really he should be, but I guess he has been alone for so long that others offering to help you must me strange. "You really don't have to do that."

"Laura's right. And it's not like there is much else to do here in Beacon. Not unless you have a _girlfriend._" The way she says the word is seething with hatred. And I hate that they don't like Kate.

"Erica, lay off. Kate never did anything to you. And she isn't my girlfriend. We just hang out." Okay so that is somewhat of the truth. We haven't really defined what our relationship is, but we are more than friends.

"Oh really? Is that why I saw here the other day at the store with a hickey on her neck? Or is she seeing someone else?" I can't help the blush that creeps up my face and down my neck. I can feel the heat of it. Laura isn't saying anything, but I can feel the tension in her shoulders as the conversation continues. I can't just stand here while Kate gets bashed, usually Erica only talks bad about her when I am not in the room. But I guess Stiles changes the rules.

"You just don't like her because she's twenty-five." The reaction that gets from Stiles is a look of shock that he quickly changes to more neutral. He isn't saying anything, but his discomfort with everything that is going on is pretty blatant, even to my more human senses.

"That is only one of her many terrible attributes. Shall I go on to name a few more?" Erica really has no filter on her mouth. It is one of the things that makes her one of my best friends, it just usually isn't turned against me. Laura isn't stepping in, and Stiles is out of any kind of comfort zone. We are guests in his house, he shouldn't have to listen to this. I have to make an escape if only for a few minutes just to break up the conversation.

"Stiles, can I use your bathroom?" I know it is the first time I have actually said anything to him and for that I feel a bit guilty. I don't know what he is, but I have been majorly rude to him all day when he has been nothing but nice. When he tells me where it is, I head down the hall and close the door behind me. I can hear them talking so I turn on the fan not wanting to listen to whatever they are talking about, and pull out my phone to text Kate. 'Wish I was with you right now.'

I wait a few minutes but don't receive a response so I make my way back to the room and find that they are starting to get things unpacked. For the most part everything settles down and the tension leaves the room. We hang his clothes in the closet and art on the wall. It is beautiful and I can't help but stare at it. He vaguely says that most of it is his mom's, but it is the few pieces of his own work that draw me in more. He isn't quite as talented as his mother, but he put just as much behind the work. I am pretty sure that someday he will exceed himself and be just as great as his mother was, if not better. When he gets to a box full of sketchbooks he doesn't pull any of them out, just closes the box and puts it in the corner. At lunch he hid his work from us too, I guess he is a little shy when it comes to his art.

My stomach growls and I can't help it. Werewolves metabolism is pretty high and we eat a lot. "Oh, guys, I'm sorry. I didn't realize, it's like six. You want me to make something to eat? I mean that is if you wanted to stay, if you can't that is totally cool. You probably just want to go home. I get it." How can someone seem so confident one minute and then so neurotic the next?

Laura walks over to him and put her hand on his shoulders. "Stiles. You gotta calm down. We would love something to eat. You gonna order a pizza or something?"

"Oh, um, actually, I usually cook. Dad should be home soon, and I should have dinner ready for him." I know we all give him a look at that. I mean what kind of statement is that? I take a quick sniff of the air trying to scent for any blood that is too close to the surface, and I see Laura does the same. There isn't a hint of nervousness about him, not any more than what has been around him all day. I guess you can't really judge anything at first glance. We all follow him back downstairs and he starts rooting around the kitchen pulling things out. "If you guys want to get started on your homework or something, I should have it ready in about a half an hour."

Erica and Laura both move to the table, but I feel a bit bad for the way I have treated him today. The least I can do is try to help him make dinner. So I wash my hands at the sink and go over to where he has pulled out the ingredients for what looks to be spaghetti and meatballs. He gets me started on the meatballs, and moves off to work on the bread and noodles. The girls start whispering while we work. The both noticed how quiet I've been around Stiles, and can't stop themselves from teasing me, like asking if the human caught my tongue. Erica even goes as far to say something about being attracted to him. Part of me is angry that she would say that, but another part can't help but to look over at Stiles while we work.

He is about the same height as me but narrower in the shoulder and chest. Running through the woods and the strict lifting regimen have toned my muscles in a way that makes them somewhat obvious, but not overly developed. His amber, almost honey colored eyes are big and bright and the carefully gelled tuft of hair on top of his head only goes to show off the freckles and moles that dot his face and undoubtedly his whole body. Its only as he moves away that I can smell the faint traces of arousal coming from him, and I hope that Laura and Erica don't pick up on it. Mostly because I am not entirely sure if it was from him or me.

The girls laugh as he moves away and whisper just low enough that I can hear them. They keep teasing me and saying that I am acting fidgety around Stiles, and I start mumbling under my breath so they can hear to knock it off and to set the table or focus on their work. They snicker some more but get up to grab the plates and silverware from Stiles. He is surprised that we would help him, but the girls just say that it is normal to help out around the house so it's really no big deal. Once the food is finished, we put it on the table and Stiles tells us to dig in. But that isn't how we were brought up to eat.

"You first. This is your home and you prepared the food. You should be the first one served." The look on his face makes it seem like he thinks we are joking but Laura is serious. It is the proper way to do things.

"Really, it's okay."

"No, we insist." Laura serves Stiles and then herself. Only after she is finished to Erica and I start in. The conversation moves on to our family and he is shocked at the number of people we have in it. But having only had a mom and dad growing up a larger family would have made quite a difference. Then Laura invites him over to our house. I am taken aback by that. I can tell that my expression escapes me for a second, but why would she invite a non-pack human out. What has she picked up on that I haven't? But then she challenges me, so I try to put him off but I don't really know how to react here.

The girls start to clear the table when the meal is finished and Stiles tries to protest again, but is quickly shut down. No one can really say no to Laura. Except mom. So he goes to the living room and starts to unpack more things from the boxes there. I follow and start to help. I can tell he has mixed feelings about me just like I do him so we work in silence. I start to place things out following the unconscious movements of his gaze when I pull out a new item. He looks pleased that things are going where he wants them so I keep it up until the girls come back from the kitchen. It's almost eight and we should really be getting home. "Thanks for your help guys. See you at school tomorrow?"

I head back to the kitchen to grab my bag and I can hear Laura swinging the keys around her finger waiting for me. "Yeah, we can pick you up if you like?"

"Uh, that's okay, I like to walk."

That is surprising. I mean he looks like a runner, but that is a long trek. "Dude, the school is like three miles from here."

"I know, but I usually run about five in the morning anyway, so a three mile walk is nothing."

"You do seem like a runner." She starts giving him the up down and almost looks like she is undressing him with her eyes. A low growl starts in my chest and I have to cut it off before the others hear it.

"Gotta get my excess energy out somehow. ADHD. I used to take pills, but I never liked the way I felt afterward, found out running helped burn some of it off, plus home schooling requires some kind of physical activity, so it worked for me."

"No need to defend yourself. I get it. Derek runs in the morning too. Maybe you could run together. He could show you some of the better trails in the preserve." She looks over to me as I make my way fully into the room and I really don't want to, mostly because that means I would have to slow down for him.

"No worries. I think I can manage by myself. Thanks anyway." There is a hint of disappointment in his tone, and after Laura glares at me, I know that I will be here tomorrow morning to get my run in with Stiles.

"Okay, well see you at school tomorrow, and we will totally come over this weekend to help you unpack some more." Laura moves in and clasps his shoulder in one hand but slightly brushes the skin at his neck, then Erica give him a full on hug blatantly rubbing her cheek on his. They are scent marking him, treating him like he is pack. What is up with this? I just send him a nod and we make our way back to the car.

As soon as we get in the car and are pulling away from the curb Laura starts in on me. "So what is it that caused you to played hot and cold with him all night? One minute you are giving him the total freeze out and the next you are helping him with dinner. I didn't hear you say anything to him or him to you when you were unpacking the living room, so what is it about him that sets you on edge so much?"

"I'm-"

"Derek, really? You can't fool us. Even I noticed it. There were times where you were tense and others where I have never seen you more relaxed. At least not since…" Erica's voice tapers off at the vague mention of Paige, and I think that is part of the problem. Even while I was over thinking things, there was a sense of peace that I haven't felt in a long time. I don't even get that way with Kate.

"I don't know. I think we need to tell mom about his scent and see what she has to say." Laura gives me a lingering look in the rearview mirror and gently nods her head. Erica's gaze stays a bit longer, but I just ignore her and stare out the window of the backseat trying to think over all the interactions I've had with Stiles today.

It isn't long till we are pulling up the long driveway of the house and as soon as the car is parked I am out of the back seat and into the house. Not even glancing at anyone else I head straight for my room and close the door. Then I am rooting through my closet for the box that I have hidden there and pull out the sweatshirt that still smells vaguely like Paige. While I found her scent intoxicating, it doesn't even compare to Stiles. There is a knock on the door when my face is buried in the cloth that is slowly losing its potency. I know that it's mom on the other side of the door and before I tell her to go away she comes into my room and when she sees the pale green garment in my hands she quickly closed the door behind her. It's not until she is wiping the tears from my face that I realize they were even there in the first place. "Do you need to talk Cub?"

The endearment is one that has been reserved for me. Not even Cora who is six years younger than me gets called that anymore. But I nod my head and put the sweatshirt away back in its place and move downstairs to the study. It's the only room in the house that is sound proofed and I don't really feel like talking about this where anyone else can hear. Especially the girls. They would tease me mercilessly if they knew what I was about to talk about.

Mom followed me wordlessly and sits on the couch motioning for me to join her. This isn't something I do much anymore but I don't think I can look her in the face while I ask what I am going to, so I sit next to her and rest my head on her shoulder. Her hand comes up and starts carding through my hair while her other hand grabs one of my free ones. "What is it that has you so upset?"

"Do you remember the talk we had last year?"

"We had many conversations then, which one are you referring to specifically?" Her voice is gentle and calming. I have heard her be commanding and downright scary, but now she is only giving me the comfort that I am desperate for.

My voice falters for a moment and it takes a minute for me to clear my throat and get the words out. "The one about Mates."

If she is shocked that I would bring this up she doesn't show it. "What about them?"

It takes me a while for me to think about how I want to word it, but then settle for the direct approach. "I'm guessing that Laura already told you about the new kid, and that he smelled like pack even though he isn't?"

"Yes she did mention him."

"That isn't what he smelled like to me. I mean it is, but there was something else there with his scent that almost overpowered it. At least for me and I don't know what it means. I mean, I think I might know, but it isn't what I expected."

"What did you pick up on?"

"He smelled like home. Not like our house home, but like, I don't know… somewhere I would like to call home. It was like comfort and warmth. Those things can't even have a smell. Right?"

I am almost afraid of the answer. "Cub." She says it with a sense of awe? Wonder? I don't know. "You think you've found your Mate." It's a statement, not a question.

"I don't know. It's so confusing. I mean I thought that it could have been Paige, and now, well I mean I've been trying to date again, but I want to, ugh, I don't know what I want anymore."

Her fingers continue combing through my hair and it's easy to close my eyes and fall into the quiet contentment of pack, and love. "I can't tell you what your senses are showing you, but you should trust your instincts. This last year has been hard for you. You haven't been able to fully shift, and the full moons haven't been easy for you to maintain control. You have been walking on the edge for so long and I don't want you to give up on being who you are. The wolf isn't a separate entity from us, we are the wolf and the wolf is us. Sometimes as a teenager it is easy to forget that, especially dealing with things that other teenagers don't have to."

I don't really know what to say to that so I give a quiet hum in agreement and snuggle in a little closer, closer than I have since she found me after Paige's death. "Don't do anything drastic with this information. Maybe you should try to get to know Stiles a little better, become his friend. Just because you are mates doesn't mean that you have to be a couple. It isn't common but it does happen. It sounds like the girls are quite taken with him, and he might become a common feature around here. I would like to meet him soon and get my own read on him. There might be a reason he smells like pack."

The fact that he will be in my life no matter the means is something that I am able to accept fairly quickly. I supposed I should apologize to him. Maybe I will go and show him the trails in the preserve. I would have to slow down for him, but having a running partner wouldn't be an entirely bad thing after all. We stand up and I pull her into a tight hug that she returns with vigor. "Thanks mom. And I know this goes without saying, but can this stay between you and me? I don't want Laura and Erica to know. They already teased me about it bad enough today. I just need to think things over without their input."

"Of course, Cub. If you need to talk again, you know you need only ask." We pull away with her words and she runs a hand over my temple and down the back of my head to rest on my shoulder. It's a common sign of affection she does with us kids. For the girls it usually means tucking their hair behind their ear, but it leaves traces of her scent on major pulse points where the hint of it will remain strongest. With a light squeeze to her wrist I pull away and go back to my bedroom. Sleep won't come easy tonight, but when I do start to drift off it is the sound of a heartbeat that I know will never leave me now. I'm not sure how I feel about that, I guess only time will tell.

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So I didn't know that I would love writing Talia as much as I did. Also since this is post Paige expect lots of feels towards her from Derek. He really did love her, and he is pretty torn up about everything now.

Also originally I was planning the conversation between Derek and his mom to happen later in this fic, but the oportunity presented itself and I couldn't help it. I often found when i am writing that I have a plan but then the characters kind of take over and do their own thing. So yeah that happened.

Please let me know what you think. Love to hear your feedback!


	3. Walk With Me Somewhere

Lots of feels in the chapter! Enjoy!

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Waking up the next day is a bit easier knowing that I won't be alone when I get to school. Yeah I'm still the new kid, but now I actually have friends. In the kitchen I grab a bottle of water and take few sips while I get the coffee pot set up for dad when he wakes up and then change for my morning run. It isn't until I get outside and close the door behind me that I realize there is someone standing in the front yard. "Derek? What are you doing here?" He has a backpack on his shoulder and is dressed for a workout. The look on his face shows regret and a touch of something else that I can't quite place.

Sheepishly he looks to the ground and then back at me. "I was kind of a dick yesterday and I thought I should apologize. And I can show you around the preserve, the trails are a pretty great workout. That is, if you want. If not I can go." He looks ready to bolt.

"That would be cool. And no big about yesterday. I get it. New kid encroaching on your territory and all." He stiffens at that, but then relaxes almost as quickly. "How did you get here?" I look up and down the street and there isn't the sign of a car anywhere.

There is a red flush on his ears, "I ran here."

"Don't you guys live out in the woods?"

"Yeah, but it's not a big deal. I usually run a few miles in the morning myself."

"Okay… Did you wanna drop your bag in the house?" He nods and I turn to unlock the door and after putting his backpack on the chair by the door we head out and I let him lead the way to the nearest trail. The silence that follows is nice. Just the sound of our feet hitting the ground and our breath letting out into the slightly chilly air. As soon as we hit the woods something releases in Derek and I can tell that he is calmer now. Jogging for twenty minutes allows me to enjoys the scenery. They aren't the most beautiful trees I've ever seen, but there is something about them that lulls me into sense of wonder that I haven't felt since before my mom died. Maybe it's being in the place she grew up. I don't know where she used to hang out or what her favorite spot was, but just knowing that I am seeing the same things that she saw, I don't know. It feels right. Derek starts to slow our pace and we take up a slower walk as we hit a tougher part of the trail.

"I just wanted to say sorry again. I don't take well to strangers." His eyes are downcast and I can tell that he is truly sorry.

Keeping my voice light, "Well I can't not be a stranger unless you get to know me." We are walking close enough that I bump my shoulder against his, and at first I think I may have crossed a line, but then he bumps me back.

"I know. It's just been a tough year for me. I hate using that for an excuse, because it isn't one, but it is the truth."

He won't meet my eyes, but I continue to look at him. "You don't have to explain anything to me dude. I mean we only met yesterday."

"I know, but I want to?" It sounds like a question. I don't think he is even sure about it, but he continues. "I was dating this girl. Her name was Paige. I-I thought I was in love." He pauses for a moment trying to compose himself and I let him. When he speaks next it is almost a whisper. "She died and it was my fault." I can tell that he wants to bolt again, but that sense of guilt is familiar to me so I can't let this moment pass me no matter how many boundaries I might be pushing.

I stop him and pull him into a tight embrace. He freezes for a minute but then wraps his arms around me and returns with an equal amount of strength. I don't know what to say so I don't say anything at all. But I think that is what he needed, so I don't let go until he decides to pull away and we start walking again. And that hug felt so right in so many ways. I can't fall into this crush on a guy who has a girlfriend. I refuse to be that cliché. "I don't even know why I told you that. You don't need to have my baggage."

I let our shoulders brush a few more times as we go. "Dude, that's what friends do. I am sure at some point you are going to be subjected to one of my famous rants. Plus you aren't the only one who has baggage." I lower my voice even though we are alone. It is hard to talk about my mom, mostly because I really have no one to talk to her about. I want to, but dad doesn't really like to. "When my mom died I sat in the living room and talked to her ashes for days straight just like she was in the room with me. I had to stop when my dad talked about moving the urn off the mantle. It still hurts him to talk about her, but I can't not talk about her. I still do talk to her every once in a while, but now I only do it when dad isn't home. Even having her paintings up causes him to tear up. So if you ever need to talk, or not talk, I get it." He gives me a warm smile, the first one directed at me, and it makes me insides melt. Man do I have it bad. This is so not good.

Our pace picks back up after that and any conversation is halted while we run. For that I am grateful. By the time we get back to my house it is almost six-thirty and we are both pretty sweaty. "If you want you can take a shower before I get in there. Don't think you want to be all sweaty at school." He nods and follows me upstairs. I hand him a towel and then go back down to the kitchen to make breakfast. Egg-white omelets with ham, veggies, and cheese with some wheat toast. So I am a bit of a health nut. Plus I have this irrational need to make sure my father eats well so that he can live longer. He complained for the first year I started cooking, but now doesn't say anything. He enters the kitchen and starts making himself a cup of coffee.

"Who's in the shower?"

"Uh, Derek." He raises an eyebrow at me and I roll my eyes in return. "He met me here for a run this morning. Showed me some of the trails in the preserve. Thought I would be nice and offer him a shower so he didn't have to go to school all sweaty."

"And made him breakfast?"

"Well it would be rude to eat in front of him." I dish up dad a plate and shoo him to the table trying to hide the blush that I know is gracing my cheeks. He just gives me a knowing smile and goes to eat his meal before he leaves for work.

Standing under the spray of the shower feels good after the run we just put in. But I didn't bring any shower gel so I have to use Stiles's. Which means that not only will I have to smell him all day, I will smell like him too. Part of me is happy to have the scent of my mate on me, and the other part of me is worried that I like it. I don't know what drove me to tell him about Paige. It all just kind of came out, I haven't even told Kate about her. I have to watch myself with him. It would be so easy to spill my families secrets to him. How can I trust him after knowing him for less than a day? Is the Mate bond already starting to form?

It is too much to process so I push it out of my mind and head back downstairs. As I start my decent I can hear Stiles talking to his dad. It takes all I have to hold the blush I know is crossing my face. What the hell is wrong with me? As I enter the kitchen I see them seated at the table and there is another plate there with food on it for me. I am a bit surprised but it would be rude to refuse. Besides I am hungry anyway, and the protein bar in my bag tastes like cardboard. As I take my seat Stiles turns to me, "I didn't know what you would like to drink. We have milk, OJ, Coffee, and water."

"Milk is good. Thanks." He nods and gets up to pour me a glass.

Stiles father turns to me with an amused look on his face. "So you're Derek Hale?"

"Yes, sir."

"Thanks for helping Stiles yesterday. He hasn't had many friends, and it was nice of you to let him sit with you at lunch."

Stiles comes back to the table with my glass. "Dad!"

"What?"

"Really? Unnecessary." He is starting to blush and I feel even guiltier for my actions yesterday. I was an asshole and never even gave him a chance.

"I was really no problem sir. But you should be thanking my sister and cousin. They were the ones who welcomed him. I was-"

"-just as nice and welcoming." Stiles cuts me off with a knowing look. "He even came over today to show me some trails when he normally runs by himself." The Deputy looks at us with a cocked eyebrow obviously sensing there was something else to our interactions yesterday but doesn't comment on it.

I give in to Stiles easily not wanting to embarrass myself in front of my Mate's father. And then it hits me. I am sitting with my Mate meeting his father. The blush from earlier starts to creep back up my neck. "It's not a big deal. It was actually kinda nice. Maybe we could do it again tomorrow?" Stiles looks a bit taken aback by my suggestion but hastily nods his head in agreement.

Silence falls over the table as we finish eating and then Stiles father stands and takes his plate and coffee cup to the sink. Stiles stands and hands his dad a thermos. "I'm off to work, call me if you need anything tonight, I will probably be home late again." Stiles gives his father a hug and whispers quietly enough that without my heightened senses I would have not heard a 'be careful.' Behind the words there is a level of desperation that I'm sure has to do with the fact that he his dad is the only family he has. I low whine escapes my throat at the sense of loss that he must be experiencing. I can't imagine what it must feel like. If I lost any of my family I wouldn't know what I would do.

After his dad leaves Stiles stands by the counter for a moment before excusing himself upstairs. "I just have to shower and change and then we can head to school." I take my dishes over to the sink and then quickly do all of them while I wait. I am just finishing drying them when Stiles comes back down standing still in the doorway to the kitchen. "You didn't have to do those."

"I know. But you made breakfast and let me shower. It's the least I could do." I don't think that Stiles thinks very highly of himself. I will make him see differently if I can.

The walk to school is mostly quiet, but comfortable. I send a message to Laura to see what she and Erica are doing after school while we walk. She responds 'I have one-on-one training with mom and that Erica has a date with Boyd.' That's her on again off again boyfriend. He's human and it has caused some rifts between them, but they still manage to drift back to each other. Then there is another message before I can respond. 'why?'

'just wondering'

'where did you get off to this morning. It's a bit late for your morning run'

I really don't want to tell her where I am, but she is going to figure it out once we get to school anyway so there is no point in hiding it. 'I went to show Stiles the jogging paths in the preserve'

'really? Good. he isn't that bad Der.'

'I know, I already apologized for being an asshole yesterday'

'good, see you at school'

"Who you texting?"

"Laura."

"Oh."

"Yeah, hey,what are you doing after school?"

"Um, nothing. Probably more unpacking. Why?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out." Why would I offer that? I have a date tonight. One that I had to reschedule already.

The look on his face is worth it though. His eyes brighten with a sense of excitement. "Sure, did you wanna come back to mine, or did you have something else in mind?"

"Uh, somewhere else."

"Not going to tell me where?" He raises and eyebrow at me with a smirk to go with it. It is infuriating and endearing all at the same time.

"Nope." I turn away from him. Staring too much into his eyes would be a bad thing. I have a girlfriend, who I am going to have to cancel on again.

There is amusement in his voice, "Fine, don't tell me. I like surprises anyway. Mom always tried to give me surprise parties growing up, but when it was just her, me, and Dad, it was pretty hard to." He laughs quietly, "I always pretended I was though. It was worth it to see her smile. Especially the last one before she died." There is a somber smile on his face a slight hint of salt from some unshed tears, but there isn't any sadness coming off of him. Just a mellow contentment.

The urge to touch him is too much so I lightly brush my shoulder against him and then give him a quick side hug, making sure to brush my fingers over the space behind his ear on my pull away from him. "Then a surprise it will be." The smile brightens a little and we finish the walk in silence the rest of the way to school.

…

We go our separate ways once we get in the building so we can each head to our lockers. Once I have mine open I pull out my phone and send Kate a text. 'sorry can't do tonight either. Something came up'

I don't get a response till later in the day but I can't bring myself to look at it yet. Physics goes better today and when we get paired off into groups for a project there is not hesitance on my part to turn to Stiles. He looks grateful for it and a part of me thrums in delight to put that smile on his face again. Lunch even goes off pretty well too. No one bothers us at our table and conversation flows freely between the four of us. It feels like Stiles has always been a part of our small group.

During the last period of the day I finally pull my phone back out and check to see the message that Kate sent me. 'But sugar, I was really looking forward tonight. I was gonna show you that thing I've been talking about.'

That thing is her chest. As in her rack. As in I was finally gonna get some under the clothes action. We haven't really been going out all that long so we have been taking out time. She isn't the first girl I've ever been with. Paige was. She was my first everything. The fact that I am having an attraction to Stiles doesn't surprise me. Most were's are, well, flexible. It isn't something that we really ever talk about, but it isn't that uncommon to be with someone of the same sex.

Part of me really wants to tell Stiles I can't make it, but at the same time I don't want to leave him by himself. He has spent too much of his life alone in the last few years from the sound of it. Plus I really want to show him the place that I have that's mine and no one else's. I want him to be able to use it too if he needs it. I don't really know how to respond to her text though. I mean what does one say to turning down that kind of offer from the person that they are quasi-dating? 'As much as I really want to be with you, I can't tonight. Sorry. Tomorrow for sure?'

I don't know what the others have planned, but I refuse to just drop my girlfriend. Tomorrow is Thursday, so I know that I will be free. My phone buzzes, 'okay, but you better not cancel on me again. A girl might think you don't care anymore.'

'I do, and I feel really bad that I can't make it tonight. But tomorrow night for sure. Meet at your place?'

'yeah. You can come over right after school. Can't wait sugar.' With that settled I move my attention back to the teacher.

The kindness that Derek showed on our way to school didn't go unnoticed by me. He is completely different today in school than he was yesterday. He talks openly with me and even turns to me offering to be partners for our Physics project. Through the whole day I try not to think too much about where we will be heading after school so I try to turn the conversation in other directions. Like what the others are doing.

Erica launches into this explanation about her on again off again boyfriend. Boyd. That is his last name but she said never to call him by his first name should I meet him. Apparently he doesn't like Vernon, and I am sympathize with him on that. I really don't like my first name, but I specially don't like to use it anymore. Not since mom passed. She was the only one who could say it the right way anyway.

Laura has something to do with her mom, and now I am wondering if that is why Derek said he wanted to hang out. He knew that the girls would be busy and I know he heard that I would be home alone. I don't know if I should be annoyed or grateful. I settle with the second option because I can see that he is really trying to make up for his first impression he left on me.

During my free period I make my way to the library and come across the yearbooks from years past. I know that this is the high school mom went to so I find the right one to see what she looked like as a senior. In the index there is a list of pages she is on. The first one is her senior picture, and I flip the book open to that one first. It is the classic pose that most seniors go with. Head and shoulders, turn just so. She is beautiful. I look more like her than Dad, but I know that I am nowhere near where she was. I am happy that I have her eyes, it is a constant reminder of her no matter what happens. Going back to the index, it says that she is in two other photos. The first one is her with a few other students painting a wall mural in a hallway. I make a mental note to check and see if it is still there later. It probably won't be as it has been about twenty years since the picture was taken, but on the off chance, I would love to see some of my mother's early work.

The last picture is in the art club photo. There is the group photo and then one other one with her and another woman standing beside each other laughing over some wet clay making a mess, but having a good time all the same. The air is knocked out of my lungs when I see the name next to my mothers in the caption of the photo. 'Claudia Piotrowski and Talia Hale. The closest friends you could ever meet.'

My mother was friends with Laura and Derek's mom? That is… I don't even know what to think about that. I am not sure how long I actually sit there staring at the photo. But when the bell rings I rush out of the library and on to my next class. I am distracted through the rest of the day. All I can think about it is how our mothers knew each other. And now we are repeating history. I know that mom's parents died before she graduated college, but she never said how. Her and dad met at school when dad was going for his history major. He never wanted to do anything with it, just wanted to have it. He loves historical novels and the history channel is something that plays quite regularly in our house. After they graduated they got married and had me almost right away. Then we started traveling and never stopped. We never came here as far as I know, but know that I know someone who knew mom when she was my age, I have all sorts of questions that I never thought would get answered.

When school ends and the three of them catch up to me on our way out, they can all tell that something is up with me. "Stiles, are you okay?" Erica drapes an arm across my shoulders and pulls me into a one sided hug, much the same way Derek did this morning.

"Um, yeah. I just… I just found something today and I don't really know what to make of it."

Laura looks concerned and shoots a look to Derek who shrugs his shoulders with a worried look of his own on his face. They aren't being as subtle as they think they are. "What did you find?"

I keep my gaze to the ground and Erica's arm tightens its embrace a bit. "Um, well, on my free period I went to the library and you know they have like every yearbook ever in there right?" They nod and look a bit relieved. "Well I looked up my mom for when her senior year would be, and I found her. I found a picture of her with your mom. Apparently they were really close friends. And I just…" I can feel tears floating in my eyes, clouding my vision a bit. Erica stops me and pulls me into a full on hug and Laura joins her. "I just don't know anyone who knew her before. Dad and her didn't meet till college and all of her family died before I was born. I never thought I would ever know her like that, and now I might have that opportunity."

I manage to keep the tears back and return the hugs that I am given. When the pull away from me I give them a small smile. The second day of our friendship and I am already falling apart on them. How freaking embarrassing. But before I let the self-depreciating thoughts get to out of control Laura slaps me upside the head. When she does I swear I can hear Derek growl, but Laura starts talking. "Dude, really? There is nothing wrong with reacting like that. Mom would probably love to meet you. Wait, was your mom Claudia?"

"Yeah, Claudia Piotrowski."

"Wow. I mean I never knew her, but mom talks about her every once in a while. She said something about wanting to meet you last night, but now I know she will. Did you want to come to the house, my thing with her can totally wait for another day."

My first instinct is to say yes, but then being faced with this so suddenly after I find out it a bit too much. "I-I really want to, but maybe…"

"Stiles and I were gonna hang out today. How about another day when this isn't so fresh?" I send an appreciative look to Derek and let out a breath that I didn't know I was keeping in. Laura looks between the two of us for a moment silently assessing us, and then gives a firm nod. "Do you think that we could drop you off at the house and then take the car? There's a place that I wanted to show him."

Laura and Erica both look at him with a bit of shock. I guess they know where he wants to take me. And I am guessing that not a lot of people know about it. That is, well, I don't really know what that is. She gives another nod and we make our way to the car. When we get in I pull out my phone and call dad.

"Hey Kiddo. What's up?"

"Nothing much," I level my voice and don't let off that I found something about mom. He still isn't ready for it I think. Maybe after I've had a chance to talk to Talia first. "I was just gonna let you know that I am hanging out with Derek. Don't know when I'll make it home."

If he is surprised he doesn't let anything show in the tone of his voice. "Okay, just be home by ten."

"Sounds good dad. And make sure you eat something good for dinner. Maybe a salad."

"Ooo, a salad. That sounds so appetizing." So even though that was pretty weak, I guess that is where I get my sarcasm from. My art from my mother and my personality from my father.

"Yeah, yeah. Just think about thirty years down the road when you are still alive and kicking because you didn't have a heart attack from a high cholesterol." He laughs and says good bye so I hang up. I can tell the others are laughing too, but none of them comment so I let it drop.

The drive to their house takes about ten minutes. They are just outside the city limits and well into the preserve. The winding drive opens up to a large house. Probably one of the biggest I have ever seen. It is only two stories but it kinda screams mansion. But while the house is large, it isn't really extravagant. Some of the paint is peeling on the siding and the porch looks old and well worn. It looks like a home. The girls get out and bid us goodbye. Laura let Derek drive so we sat in the front. As soon as the girls are inside we are pulling back out onto the country road and moving further away from the city.

"So, you're still not telling me where we are going?"

"It wouldn't be much of a surprise if I told you now would it." I don't know where this easy banter came from, but I like it. He has smiled more today. I thought he was attractive yesterday, but today, that smile. It kinda makes my insides melt and my heart pick up in tempo a bit. I fight my blush by looking out the window and focusing on the scenery. Laura was right yesterday. There are trees, trees, and more trees. But it holds a wild beauty to it. The forest is kind of cold, but that is kind of why I like it. It holds mystery and a sense of danger.

After about another ten minutes of driving Derek pulls off onto a small dirt road that I wouldn't have noticed. You would have to know it's there in order to find it. He stops about twenty feet into the tree line where the path ends and shuts down the car. Grabbing his backpack he gets out of the car and motions for me to follow. We walk for about fifteen minutes and when we get to the edge of a small clearing I can see a tree house sitting about ten feet off the ground just on the other side. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"

He looks a bit bashful, but nods none the less. When we reach the tree there are boards nailed into the tree forming a crude ladder up to a hatch in the floor. "Dad helped me build this when I was ten. The house was pretty crowded then, and Laura and Erica weren't all the nice to me, usually too busy teasing. He let me have this space where I could come and be by myself."

"No girls allowed?" I can't keep the amusement from my voice. Derek starts to climb the ladder and turns down to look at me.

"Pretty much, you also gotta know the password." His eyebrow is arched up as in he is waiting for an answer. And who knew eyebrows could be so expressive.

"And how am I supposed to know what that would be? No wait, let me guess, Grumpy? Sourpuss? How about Growly?"

His other eyebrow raises to join its twin. "Growly?"

"Yeah, cause you kinda growl sometimes."

"I do not." He turns keeping his grasp on the ladder and how he manages to keep his balance is beyond me. But a soft growl that is barely audible still comes out.

"Nope, you just did it. Maybe your name should be Sourwolf instead of Derek."

He nearly falls off the ladder, but somehow manages to stay up. When his eyes meet mine again there is a tinge of fear in his eyes. "What!"

I don't know where this reaction is coming from. It kinda reminds me of the way he acted so strangely yesterday. "I just mean that you kinda growl, and yesterday you had such a sour look on your face, so I put the two things together. Sourdog and Sourpuppy just don't have the right ring to it. But Sourwolf, that is like a classic right there." My hands kind of do their flaily thing that sometimes happens when I start to get into a rant. So I make sure to put them in the pockets of my hoodie to try and keep them under control. "I didn't mean it in a mean way. Friends give each other nicknames right? That's a thing that happens?"

And now I am letting my insecurities back in and surfacing again. I hate to feel that way. Derek must sense my self-doubt and hops down to the ground to stand next to me. He does it with a grace I know I will never be able to accomplish. My eyes drift down to my feet in my embarrassment, and I feel his hand gently squeeze my shoulder. He lets me collect myself and then when I look up into his eyes, they are asking for forgiveness. "It's totally a thing they do. Now as for the password, I won't make you guess. It's cold moon."

"That is… different."

He pulls his hand away now that my emotions are back under control. I don't know what it is, but his presence is enough to not make me feel as inadequate. "It's what the full moon in December is called."

"Why that one specifically, aren't there like other kinds of moons? Full, Harvest, Blue?"

"Yeah, but I guess I've always been more partial to the Cold Moon. My birthday is in December after all."

"Oh, well that makes sense. It also means that your birthday was only like two months ago. So I guess happy late Bday."

"Thanks. It kinda sucks though."

"Yeah, having it so close to Christmas and all."

"Try on Christmas."

"Dude. That really sucks."

"Yeah, but mom has always been pretty cool about it. We usually celebrate it on New Year's instead. But it has become tradition to have birthday cake for dessert on Christmas Day."

"Well at least you are sixteen. I have to wait till June. And I was looking at the school schedule. I have exams to take that day. So at least you got to be off of school for yours." We both laugh at the terrible timing of our births and then he leads me up the ladder and into his 'den.' Wolf jokes are gonna be a staple now.

Stiles emotions have put me somewhat on edge since school got out. His heartbeat is erratic and it is drumming in my ears. When he gets that dejected look on his face it takes all I have not to sweep him into a crushing hug. But I don't think we have quite managed to get to that level of friendship yet. I mean he seems like a pretty tactile person, but it is different when you are hugging your dad or some of your friends that are girls. Hugging another guy, well that is not a social norm for non-wolves. The name he picks out for me isn't one I would have chosen for myself, and I know that when Laura and Erica hear it, I will never hear the end of it. But it makes him smile so I refuse to let that get me down.

Once we get up into the tree house he takes his time looking around. It isn't very big, a seven by seven foot room. It has just enough space that we can stand comfortably without hitting the ceiling. There is a beanbag chair and a pile of blankets on the floor for when I spend the night out here. It doesn't happen very often anymore, but sometimes it's nice to get away from the noise of the city and the energy that is constantly around the house. I offer the beanbag chair to Stiles and fluff up the blankets to make a decent padding on the floor.

Pictures hand around the walls, some of them of family and others of things I drew growing up. None of them reach the level of skill that Stiles has, but then I never really worked at it either. When we are settled I pull out two bottles of water and a few snacks that I bought at the vending machine at school so we would have something to eat. Stiles catches the bottle I toss at him with a 'thanks' and we delve into this easy banter talking about everything from school to what is was like growing up for us.

"I've never been anywhere other than the beach a few hours away on the coast. Mom's job keeps her pretty grounded here. Doesn't allow for much travel." That isn't the whole truth, but enough of it that it isn't exactly a lie. Being an Alpha makes traveling hard. Plus someone has to stay in the territory to make sure it's protected. Mom and Dad don't discuss that stuff with us 'kids' present, but sometimes we are able to get snippets of the on goings around us.

"Even though I've been to a lot of different places, I am glad that we are finally settling down. I mean I got to see a lot of amazing things traveling the way we did, but at the same time we don't really have any roots. That is why we had mom cremated. So we could keep her with us if we moved again. Most of the places we lived had furniture supplied with the apartment or house we were renting. But now Dad put a down payment on the house, and we bought all the furniture that we have. Most of it's from secondhand stores, but it's ours. I like that we're here. I kinda feel closer to my mom just living here. The first few days we were here I just walked up and down the streets and going into shops wondering if that was a place she had been. Or if that coffee place on Main Street is one that she liked. It's kinda like she's here again. And that probably sounds kinda stupid."

The whole time he was talking he got more and more animated. His hands came out of his pockets and started to flail about a bit, but I can't move my gaze away from him. "It doesn't sound stupid at all." I want to say more. I want to say that I'm glad he came to Beacon Hills. That he is staying. That he is my friend. But I don't. I don't say any of that.

He shrugs his shoulders. "Maybe… So what do you usually do up here?"

His gaze is wandering the walls again, drinking in every sight. "Not much really. Read, write, nap."

"You write?"

"Um, yeah. Nothing fancy, just my thoughts."

"Like a journal?"

I let out a laugh. "Yeah, Laura calls it my diary. But really it's ideas I get, quotes I find, really anything I want to keep and remember later."

"I kinda do the same thing. But instead of writing I draw."

"That box of sketchbooks?"

"Yeah. I always have one on me just in case. Mostly it helps me focus. I found out in classes today that if I was doodling I was able to follow the discussion and take notes better. I really don't want to go back on those pills so I hope the teachers don't mind."

"I think the only one who would is Harris. But don't worry, if you don't get everything down, you can copy my notes. Promise."

"Thanks. I don't know why, but that guy really seems to not like me."

"Yeah, don't take that too personally. He doesn't like anyone. But he does usually find a student or two in each class to put his focus on."

He lets out a sigh. "I guess I shall have to get used to being his metaphorical punching bag."

"Don't worry, if it gets too bad, I can help take some of the slack off you." I really want to protect Stiles. I know that I won't always be able to, but I am gonna try my hardest.

"Thanks." A contentment settles between us and I am not sure how long we stay there, but it's been dark for a while now. When I look at my phone it says seven.

"So you wanna grab a bite to eat? My treat."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." We head back to the car and make more small talk that with anyone else would feel awkward but with Stiles it feels like breathing. Easy. Natural. He goes off on tangents about the strangest things, and makes all kinds of references that I don't really catch onto, but we laugh and have a good time all the same. After getting some burgers to go from a local diner we head over to one of the bigger parks and sit at a picnic table to eat.

"So do you think I could talk to your mom tomorrow? I mean if that's okay?" His voice is hesitant, but steady.

"Yeah, I won't be there, but Laura and Erica should be. And I know mom would like to meet you." I really want to be there for that conversation, but I can't cancel on Kate again. Not if I want to keep her as my girlfriend. And I do. She's been amazing, and I think she might know what I am. I haven't dropped any hints or anything, but sometimes the way she talks, and this look she gets in her eyes, it just makes me think that she knows more than she is letting on.

He looks kind of disappointed for a minute. "Oh, okay. Good. Thanks Derek. I know that the last thing you wanted to do is spend your whole day with me. And I know that you only asked to hang out tonight because you heard my dad say that he wouldn't be home till late. But thanks for doing it anyway." How can he not see how cool he is?

"Stiles, I wouldn't hang out with you if I didn't like you. Ask anyone. And yeah, I wanted to hang out so you wouldn't be alone, but I also wanted to get to know you a bit better. You know, not be strangers." I have to put on a smirk when I throw his words from this morning back in his face. And he doesn't miss it either giving back a smile of his own.

"Jerk." I punch Derek's arm and then immediately retract it. "Owe! Dude are you made of adamantium or something? Talk about wall of muscle."

"It's not my fault that you are a walking bean pole."

"Hey, that is not entirely true. I have muscle. It is just lithe and lean. I don't think I could bulk up if I tried."

"You don't lift weights do you?"

"Nope, and I'm not going to any time soon. Running is all the exercise I need. I'm too lazy to do much more."

"Yeah, you're not too bad."

I look over at him when he says that and I see him giving me that same look Laura did last night. Only when he does it, I don't feel so uncomfortable. I mean I do, but for a completely different reason. That's when I realize that he is actually checking me out. "Dude!"

That seems to snap him out of whatever it is he is doing. "What?"

"You were totally just checking me out."

"So what if I was?"

"Nothing… I just didn't know you played for both teams."

"You never asked."

"I just assumed because you have a girlfriend. Plus I think it's rude to ask someone. That shouldn't matter."

"You know what they say about assuming."

"Yeah, yeah. Ass. You. Me. I got it."

"But I do agree with you. It is rude. But I don't care. I mean I've never had a boyfriend before, hell, I've never done anything with a guy before. But I wouldn't be opposed to the idea." And that right there is not something I need to hear. The fact that he could be into to me, and the fact that I am falling for him. I mean he showed me his secret club house that he doesn't bring anyone to. He said I was the first person besides his dad that has been there. And his dad hasn't been up in it since it was built. There are butterflies in my stomach and I don't know how I am going to deal with this. He has a girlfriend. I will just keep saying that over and over again. It will be my new mantra. I can do friends. Right?

* * *

I know it kind of seems like it now that Stiles is a bit wishy washy, but that will change. He is biulding his confidence with others. After only being with his dad and mom his whole life, he is not sure how to act around other people. Especially ones his own age.

Warning, I am planing some Stiles/Danny. I am not going to tag it because it won't last very long, but it is coming.

Thanks for the support! Let me know what you think!


	4. I Just Need a Place

After Derek drops me off at home after our dinner in the park I unpack a few more things in the living room and break down the boxes. By the time dad gets home I have gotten the floor vacuumed and the TV set up. But I still have homework to do, so after he gets settled I head upstairs and get to it. All the while I am distracted about thoughts of the day, finding out about mom and the way Derek acted towards me. I know that he wasn't trying to send me mixed signals, but I can't help but wish that something could happen between us. I've never liked anyone like this before. And that makes me even more nervous. But I can't focus on just Derek. If I am going to try and get over him, I need to keep my options open. Plus I am only a sophomore, fifteen at that. The last thing I need right now is a serious relationship. How Derek has already had two is beyond me. Well maybe not. I mean he is a really nice guy with a body to match. And his eyes. I could fall into his eyes.

And he has a girlfriend. He has a girlfriend. Right. It's a thing. He has a girlfriend.

…

The next morning he is waiting for me outside again and we take a different trail through the preserve. One that doesn't really allow for talking as we go, which I am somewhat grateful for. Derek seems like he might be holding back, so I try to push myself a bit and it pays off. But I will have some pretty sore muscles later.

We do the same routine from yesterday. He takes a shower while I make breakfast for dad and us. Dad gives me a look, but I think he can tell this will become a regular thing for us and doesn't say anything. I let him know that I will be going over to the Hale's after school, but I promise to have supper for him when he gets home.

The whole day is filled with the regular banter and I am getting really comfortable here. It feels like I've always been here. After Gym Class I am in the locker room getting changed when a guy with darker skin and bright smile comes over to me. I've noticed him the last two days looking at me, but he is friends with Jackson, so I have steered clear. "Hey, my name's Danny, you're Stiles, right?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Nice to finally meet you."

"You too." He smiles and I have to say that he has the cutest dimples, and his body is pretty amazing too. I wouldn't say as hott as Derek, but I don't think there is anyone as hott as him. Then I have to mentally scold myself for comparing him to Derek. I need to get over him, and that is not the way to do it.

"So I was just wondering if you might want to hang out sometime? Maybe get coffee?"

Is he asking me out on a date? "Uh…"

He flashes me his smile again, "Look, no pressure okay. I just thought I could show you around town. I know you've been hanging out with the Hales-"

I can't help but to cut him off there. "Is there a problem with that?"

His hands are in the air in front of him defensively. "No, I don't have any problem with them. Jackson is an asshole, but we don't think along the same lines. All I was saying is that I know you've been hanging with them, so I didn't know what you had going on."

Now I feel guilty. Even if Danny was looking for a date, I just yelled at him for nothing. "Sorry for getting defensive. They were the only ones who talked to me my first day, and I know you are friends with Jackson. He was a jerk, and Lydia wasn't much better."

"Oh I know. I made sure to chew them both out. Lydia moved here back in middle school and she seems to forget that she was once in your position. As for Jackson, I really got nothing. He's just an ass." He holds out a piece of folded paper out to me. "Here's my number in case you want to get coffee. Ball's in your court." With a final smile he departs. Maybe I should take him up on his offer. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts I close my locker to head to lunch.

"What's with the thinky face?" Of course Erica notices something is up.

"Uh, nothing?"

"Let's try that again. What's with the thinky face?"

I roll my eyes at her but start to tell her what just happened. "I think Danny just asked me out on a date."

"Danny Mahealani?"

"Yeah."

"He is one of the hottest guys in our class! You should totally get up on that!" Laura agrees with her, but Derek looks, well, conflicted? I can't really read the look on his face. And that irritates me a little. I am usually so good about reading people.

"I don't know. I mean I am barely settled in here."

"Yeah, but he's hot! Like smokin' call the fire department hot. If he were even a little bit into girls…" She doesn't finish the end of her thought but the look on her face says it all.

Laura rolls her eyes with a smile on her lips. "Stiles, you should only do what you are comfortable with, but he is pretty hot. And he is really nice, even if he is friends with dickwad Whittemore."

"Maybe." I look at Derek, but he has schooled his face into something unreadable, so I let the subject drop. Actually I tell Erica if she doesn't stop talking about it, then I won't go on the date just to spite her. She sticks her tongue out at me, but it does the trick.

After lunch my nerves start to kick in. I am going to meet one of my Mother's closest friends today. Someone who knew her like not even dad did. As we leave the school Laura and Erica can tell that I am kinda tense and try to reassure me that everything is going to be fine. Derek has a date with Kate. Erica isn't happy about it, and as soon as we get home she walks around the back of the house and disappears into the woods. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah," Laura looks kind of defeated. "She just needs to run for a while. She doesn't do it like you and Derek, just to relieve stress." I can tell that, that isn't the full truth but I don't call her on it. I have something else to do now.

As we make our way into the house the first thing I see is a ball of hair charging towards me. I barely have time to brace myself before a girl is hugging my waist and digging her nose into my stomach. "You must be Cora." I hug her back. "Your brother and sister have told me a lot about you."

Laura is standing there trying really hard not to laugh. I swat out at her, but she dodges me before I can make contact. "Cora, why not let our guest come into the house." I am struck almost instantly with a pang of awe. Talia Hale is probably one of the most beautiful people I have ever met. There is this air of power about her that I can't quite put my finger on. Cora releases me from her grip and pulls away with a dopey smile on her face. She is ten years old, but just then she looks so much younger. "You must be Stiles. It is a pleasure to meet you."

My voice is thick and I have to clear my throat to get any words out. "It's nice to meet you too, Mrs. Hale." I hold a hand out to her, but she pulls me into a hug instead of just a handshake.

"Please, call me Talia." I am a bit taller than her, but her hug makes me feel like a kid again. This is a mom hug. A tremor runs through me, and I think she can tell. "Laura why don't you make a snack for Cora and start on your homework. Stiles and I will be in my office." Laura nods and moves off to the kitchen, while she beckons me to follow her. Once we are in her office I am instantly drawn to the bookshelves that line three of the four walls. I can't help but to look over the titles and see how some of the books here are new while others have to be older than dirt. "Tea?"

I turn to see Talia sitting on the edge of a cozy looking couch with a tray with tea and cookies on the coffee table in front of it. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I understand the effect this room can have on someone. I often have the same reaction myself to this day." She says this with amusement. "Cream, sugar?"

"Yes, and three sugars please." I take a seat next to her and when she hands me a cup filled with a fragrant tea I take a sip and I am instantly reminded of mom. Talia must notice my reaction.

"Yes, it was one of Claudia's favorites, wasn't it."

"Yeah, she had it every morning. Said that coffee just made her jittery."

"You even take your tea the same way she did."

"Yeah, I never used to use cream, but since she died…"

"I am very sorry to hear of her passing. She was one of my closest friends. And I am sure you have many questions."

"I do. I just don't know where to start?"

"Well why don't I tell you about the girl I knew."

"Erica! Get your ass back here now!" I can't believe she just did that!

She turns her head just long enough to yell out to me. "If you want to kick my ass, you have to catch me first!" Then she takes off into the trees of the preserve. She just ding dong ditched us. So freaking middle school. We were in the middle of a pretty heavy make-out session, and after we got interrupted Kate thought it would be best if I left. She said she had a few things that she had to get done tonight. There is a trace of a lie there, but I can't call her on it. So that is why I am chasing Erica through the woods.

Erica is fast, but I'm faster. Eventually I do catch up to her and manage to get her face down on the ground with my hand around her neck, claws itching to be unsheathed. She gives after a minute. "What the hell Erica!"

I let her up and she turns to sit and face me. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Yeah, that tick in your heartbeat tells me otherwise." She is about to come up with something to say back to me, but then I hear something and silence her. "Shh." Then she perks up and starts to tune into it too. The sound of ATV's in the distance and some shouting makes its way to us. Then the wind shifts and there is a trace of wolfsbane on it. "Hunters. Run." I pull her up and start off towards home. She just had to follow me over to Kate's. I can't believe her.

We keep running, but then there is the sound of people running through the underbrush ahead of us. They have us cut off. So we veer to the right and start heading deeper into the preserve. "Der, can you make the change? We can run faster that way." I'm not sure if I can manage that right now. I haven't been able to for a while now. I can feel the wolf hovering under the surface of my skin, asking to break free, but I don't know that I could control it if I did. "Derek?"

"I don't know. Just- Just shift and get home. I'll be right behind you."

"I'm not leaving you Derek."

"Erica, if I try to shift, I'm not sure what will happen. But I don't think we'll make it out if we don't. So shift and get to the house to warn the others. I'll be right behind you." She hesitates, "GO!" Finally she reluctantly agrees and makes a jump into the air making the shift into the wolf. Her clothes are shredded to pieces but she lands and bolts off into the night. I give her a few minutes head starts and then make sure that the hunters haven't gotten too close. The ATV's are hot on my tail, but I think I can still make the shift without being seen. So I make a similar jump like Erica did and focus on the wolf and let the change wash over me.

When I was younger and watched the adults of the pack shift it always looked like it hurt, but really the rearranging of bones is so fluid that you feel nothing. Up until Paige's death the shift was natural to me. I was the earliest of my siblings, Erica included, to be able to make it, but now the wolf instinct is almost overpowering. All of the sadness and rage that has built up over the last year only feeds into it and I haven't been able to actually make the full wolf for the last few months. I've been afraid to let it get too close to the surface for fear of losing control.

But now the wolf is out and I can hear the remains of my clothes get shredded and fall behind as my paws hit the dirt. At first the instinct consumes me like a madness. I can smell the Hunters and the trail Erica's scent left. As I start to follow it a noise starts thudding in my ears drawing me closer to it. It's a heartbeat. Mate! Swerving off the scent trail Erica left, I start chasing the sound of the heartbeat. The sound of my Mate. Need to protect, keep safe. Eventually the sound of the Hunters is gone and the feel of the earth underneath me exhilarates me to move faster toward Him.

As I reach the edge of the tree line close the home of my Mate I pick up the scent of my Alpha. Now I am conflicted. Go to Mate, or go to Alpha? But Alpha doesn't give much choice. "Derek. To me." There is enough of a command to make me move towards her. When I get there she is standing just inside the tree line and is kneeling on the ground. As I slow my approach my tail slots between my legs and I bare my neck to her in submission. "Shift." The command ripples over me and the change is forced through my body.

That is when I find my head clear of the primal state I was in, but left a bit dizzy. She catches me before I can fall to my side. "Mom?" I can't remember all of what just happened, it's all fuzzy in my head.

"It's okay. I've got you."

"What happened?"

"I'm not sure. I felt yours and Erica's fear. Then you made the shift and I was worried you would lose control."

"I think, I think I did. There were, there were Hunters. They had us trapped." The details start to come back to me. And she pulls out a blanket to wrap around my naked form. Nudity isn't something uncommon amongst the pack, but there is still a level of modesty we live by. We are still humans after all. "The only way we could get out was to shift. Erica- Erica!"

"Is fine. I can feel her with the rest of the pack."

The tenseness released from my body. I didn't hurt her. "I wasn't sure what would happen if I shifted. I could feel it for the first time in months. I just didn't know if I would try to hurt her or not, so I made her go first to get a head start."

"You did right the right thing cub."

"Maybe."

"You got your pack mate out of a dangerous situation and kept levelheaded while doing so."

"Yeah, but… after I shifted I heard his heartbeat. I was going to race right up to him. Full wolf. I would have exposed us. I need to have better control."

"While that is true, you still did what was needed. You did what I would have done myself. Never doubt yourself. Trust what your instincts tell you."

"Even if it means exposing him to this? I don't even know what is going on between us. I mean we are kind of friends but..."

"Give it time. You only just found him a few days ago. Take some time to adjust."

"Okay."

"But for now, let's get you back to the house."

"What are you doing here anyway? There's no way you beat me here?"

"I was just dropping Stiles off. You knew he was coming over today to talk to me."

"Oh. Yeah." We start moving to her car that is parked as close to the trees as she could get. It's dark out so no one should see us.

We are quite for a while as we drive. "He reminds me a lot of his mother."

"Was he okay after you talked?" I wish I could have been there for him. Why didn't I just cancel on Kate? She would have understood if I told her what was up. Not about him being my Mate, but about a friend learning about his dead mother.

"He's a very strong young man. Resilient." I nod in agreement. Once we are home and I am in actual clothes again I hear Laura ask mom about the scent that Stiles carries. She only tells her that she has some theories, but that he can be trusted. He is allowed to come over whenever and is always more than welcome. If they want they can scent mark him discreetly, he should be considered pack whether he knows it or not. When Laura pushes for more information mom refuses her and says to leave it. She isn't entirely happy with that response but does as she's told.

When the house is finally settled for the night and I can hear that everyone is asleep, I grab my bag that I packed and run out into the preserve to take the woods to where they meet up against Stiles' house. His room faces the backyard and I silently climb up to the roof to sit outside his window and listen to his heartbeat and breathing. It is a little uneven and harsher than normal, but not anything that is worth intervening for. And it isn't until I hear it, that I am finally able to settle myself from the wild remnants of the wolf's vestiges, and settle in for the night.

Waking up is harder today than this last week. Hearing all the stories about mom was amazing and heartbreaking at the same time. I was able to hold off the tears until after I got home and had supper made for dad. I didn't feel much like eating so I put his meal in the fridge and went straight to bed, even though it was only like seven. Dad came home about eight. I was lying in bed with my back turned to the door and the covers pulled up to my head so that I couldn't be seen. The stairs creek as dad came up and I hear my door open. "Stiles." I should tell him I'm fine, or that I just don't feel well, but I don't. I just lie there and pretend to be asleep. After a few moments the door closes and I hear him go back downstairs. Then when the TV turns on I am able to finally let the tears out. Silent crying was something I mastered a long time ago.

When mom died it was hard enough for dad, and after a week of sleeping in their bed, his bed, I moved back to mine and learned to let the tears fall quietly so as to not disturb the fragile peace that dad had finally settled in. Then the panic attacks started. At first I was able to hide them, but then something would happen, a little thing, then another, and another, and they kept getting worse. Eventually dad found out and scolded me for hiding for so long. Then we went to the doctor and I saw a therapist for a few years. We learned how to control them, and I haven't had one for over a year now. And I don't want to have one now, so I anchor myself on dad, and the painting that hangs just by the window that mom did before we found out about the tumor. I focus on finally finding friends and I focus on the new things I learned about mom. I let that keep me in reality and refuse to let the nightmares overtake me again.

…

The next two days Derek is unusually close. I mean he brushes our shoulders more, sits next to me at lunch, and gives small touches when they might not necessarily be needed. Not that they aren't welcome. Actually Laura and Erica are too, but it is different coming from Derek. From the girls it feels like friendship. From Derek it feels more, I don't know, personal? It has me so confused that I don't really know what to do. He has a girlfriend. I have to remember that. He has a girlfriend, he has a girlfriend, he has a girlfriend.

So that is how I find myself Friday night fishing out the piece of paper with Danny's number on it and dialing it into my phone and pressing send. It rings three times before he picks up. "Hello?"

"Hey Danny, this is Stiles."

"Oh, Hi! Just give me one minute." There is some shuffling around and some quiet talking in the background before he's back. "Okay, I'm back."

"Sorry, am I interrupting something?"

"No, I was just watching my little sister. Thought I would give us some privacy. She is watching cartoons though, she we're good."

"Okay. Um, I was, well I was wondering…" I don't really know exactly what I was wondering. I mean I want to ask him out for coffee like he said, but now I feel like an idiot.

He gives a small laugh on the other end of the line. "Stiles relax."

"Sorry, I've never really done this before. I was just wondering if maybe you would like to get coffee tomorrow if you weren't doing anything."

"I have a lacrosse practice at two, but I would be free before that. Say about eleven?"

"Sure, meet up at the shop on Main?"

"Sounds good! Can't wait."

"Yeah, me either."

"Well I guess until tomorrow then."

"Yeah, tomorrow." We hang up and I can't believe I just did that. I just made a date with a guy. Part of me is really excited, but the other part is still hung up on Derek. I don't know how I let him get under my skin like that so fast, but I can't be like that. I want to keep him as a friend and in order to do that I need to not see him as anything more than that.

So I call Erica next because I really have no idea what I am doing. "Hey Stiles, what's up?"

"I need your help."

"For what?"

"Well, I just made a date with Danny to get coffee and I have no idea what I should wear."

I have to pull my phone away from my head because she is screaming into it. "OH MY GOD STILES! THAT'S AMAZING! OF COURSE I'LL HELP YOU!"

"Calm down Catwoman."

"Catwoman?"

"Yeah, I figure I'm totally Batman, and you're evil yet good, not a hero, but not quite a villain. My counterpart. Catwoman."

"I love it!"

"Now I just need a nick name for Laura."

"You mean Derek has one already?"

"Yeah, his name is Sourwolf." She erupts into laughter and then Laura is speaking through the line.

"You did not just call him that!"

"Uh, I think I did."

"Oh my God! That is pure genius! You better give me one just a good."

I can't help the laughter that comes up. These guys are probably the best friends I could find. "I will give it my best. I promise."

Then Erica has the phone again. "So what time is your date?" In the background Laura asks 'what date?' and Erica tells her about my date with Danny. "Laura wants to come too, that cool?"

"Yeah. I don't care. And it's at eleven."

"Okay, we will be there at nine thirty. Be showered and shaved before we get there. I'm sure I saw something in that closet of yours that will make you look so smokin hott that Danny won't be able to resist your devilish whiles." I can't help but to roll my eyes at Erica and laugh at her use of descriptions.

"Okay, sounds good. Thanks girls."

"Oh, it'll be our pleasure!"

…

In the morning I get up and make myself a cup of tea. After having it with Talia I am finding myself wanting more. I always make sure we have some of mom's favorite on hand even if it never gets used. After my tea I eat a bowl of cereal and then head up to take my shower. Shaving still isn't something I have to worry about so afterwards I get dressed in a pair of my jogging shorts and a t-shirt. No point in getting dressed for real when Erica and Laura are just gonna make me change anyway.

While I wait for them to arrive I finish unpacking the few remaining boxes in the living room. The only things left are what we want to put into storage in the attic or basement. We finally have a house, and while anywhere with mom and dad felt like home, this feels like more. It is a physical place I can call home and not just the place where we are living. I make one more cup of tea and then there is a knock on the door. When I answer it I am surprised to not only find Erica and Laura, but Derek too.

"The lug decided that he had to tag along. I don't know why, but he did." Erica says as she walks past me into the house with Laura following. Derek stands there looking somewhat guilty and shy.

"Dude, it's cool. Don't know why you would want to be here when I barely do, but come on in. Don't just stand there all day." The tension is slightly lessened in his shoulders and he steps into the house. We all head up to my bedroom and Erica and Laura go straight towards my closet. Derek takes my desk chair looking somewhat uncomfortable, and I plop down on my bed. "I don't really know why I asked you to help me. It's not like I couldn't just come up with something on my own. I mean I know what my clothes look like."

"Oh, Stiles. You called me because you know that I will make your tight little body, that you like to hide under so many layers, look like a gay boy's wet dream." A nervous laugh comes out of my mouth and Derek's face scrunches up a grimace of sorts. But that is only after a quick appreciative look towards me.

Girlfriend, girlfriend, girlfriend.

Erica comes out of my closet with Laura holding out a pair of jeans that I stopped wearing because they started to get a bit too tight around my back and thighs, and a sweater that one of the girls on in my dad's old precinct bought me before we moved. I didn't have the heart to tell her it was a size too small and just accepted the gift with a smile. "Try this on." I move to the bathroom, but Erica stops me. "You can just change here. Nothing we haven't seen before." Of course I blush. "Awe Stiles, I can see that body you're rockin' even though you try to hide it. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

It isn't often I get complimented on the way I look. I mean yeah the older ladies would always pinch my cheeks and coo about how handsome I was, but I was never really exposed to others like that. So I just turn my back and start to take off my shirt and the shorts. Luckily I decided on a regular pair of black boxer-briefs and not one of my superhero boxers. That would have been mortifying. After the shorts fall to the floor Erica catcalls and Laura makes me turn around. "Damn. You have muscle. Why do you hide it under those clothes? If the people at school saw this, you would defiantly be able to rank above us outcasts. Your fate is not yet sealed."

Derek doesn't say anything, but I notice how he is trying to not look at me. I start to pull on the jeans so as to start covering myself up a bit. "I don't show it off because it makes me uncomfortable. And why would I want to sit with them when I could be having fun with you guys."

"Awe. That's sweet. But we are totally gonna take you shopping and get you some new clothes. You have to dress a little bit better if you expect to hang out with us. Even though we are outcasts we still have to look amazing."

"And that, Erica, is why you are Catwoman." She just smiles one of her almost feral grins and watches as I pull on the olive green sweater. It's a bit thin to wear this time of year, but then it isn't as cold as some of the other places I've lived. When I step in front of the mirror I push up the sleeves to the middle of my forearm and fidget with my hair.

"Batman, you are one hott piece of-"

"-Erica!"

"What? I can't objectify my friends? Fine. But you have to let Derek do your hair. I mean even I don't know how he gets his too look like that."

"My hair is fine. Besides I don't think Derek really wants to play with my hair."

"I'll do it." I turn to him. He has been pretty quiet this whole time.

"You sure? It's no big deal either way."

"You want to look good for your date right?" And there is something about the way he says that, that puts me on edge a little bit. I don't know what it is though. I would almost say jealousy but that doesn't seem to be like who Derek is. He is just so hard for me to read. Erica and Laura give him a strange look too, so I know it's not just me.

I feel like my answer is a double edged sword. No matter the answer it's going to be wrong. "Yeah. If you don't mind." He nods and we head off the bathroom. I sit on the closed toilet and dig out the few hair products I have. Some moose that is probably too old, hair gel I have only used once, and then the plaster like stuff that I don't really know how to use at all. Derek goes for the pomade. First he wets down my hair a bit making sure to keep the rest of me dry, then takes a few fingers of the pomade and rubs it between his hands before he starts massaging it onto my head. His fingers send jolts of electricity down my spine and lights all of the nerves in my hands and in the pit of my stomach on fire.

Sooner than I'd like, and at the same time longer than really necessary, Derek pulls his hands away from my head and stands back. "There you go." I stand up and look in the mirror. The person staring back at me isn't me. I mean it is, obviously, but I have never looked this good before.

"Wow. I'm hot." Derek huffs out a laugh while Erica and Laura giggle in the doorway.

"Of course you are. You just never let it show before. But we are going to change that. Danny has practice today right?"

I am still looking in the mirror in shock. "Yeah, at two."

"Good. Then we are going to take you shopping after your date. We need to revamp your look if you are going to be dating. Danny or anyone." I'm silently glad that she left it open like that. I don't know if this thing with Danny is going to go anywhere or not, and I would rather not get my hopes up. So far he has only seen me from afar. Now he is going to get to know me, and I can be kind of a spaz.

"But I don't really have any money." That is true. The allowance I do get from my dad for doing chores around the house I usually save for art supplies and lunch money when I want to go out. Clothes aren't really a necessity.

"Oh don't worry about that."

Erica waves off my concern with a literal wave of her hand, and just, no. "Erica, I refuse to let you buy me clothes. First of all thank you for the offer, but you've only known me for like five seconds, second I couldn't accept it, and third, it really isn't that important." And okay, maybe the last thing is a lie to myself. I've never been one to turn heads, and maybe with a new look I could be. But I won't let them do that for me.

She huffs out a sigh. "Okay, fine. Then how much money do you have at your disposal?"

We move back to my bedroom and I dig out the box I keep on my bookshelf where I keep my small savings. "Uh, forty-three dollars and seventy-two cents."

She looks like she is calculating a bit in her head. "That should be doable. I don't generally like to shop at name brand stores anyway. I know a few really amazing second hand places that usually keep pretty well stocked with vintage and modern stuff. All very much in your price range. And if I should happen to spend a bit of my own money on you then you will just have to take what I buy and love it."

I still don't like that she wants to buy things for me, but she will just go out and buy the stuff with or without me anyway. At least if I go I can avoid certain things that I won't like. "Fine."

"Geeze, make it sound like I am twisting your arm to buy you presents. I have never met someone more self-sacrificing, except maybe Derek." She rolls her eyes, and in my peripheral vision I can see Derek blush a bit.

"Okay, well it is almost ten thirty now, do you want a ride to the coffee shop?"

"Thanks Laura that would be great." I pocket the money and grab my phone and keys. I also grab a light jacket that Erica approves of before heading out. They let me take the front and my leg bounces all the way to meet Danny.

"Nervous?"

"No, I've been on a thousand dates Laura. This is a walk in the park."

She laughs. "You have nothing to worry about. I know everyone says it, but Danny really is a nice guy. I wouldn't let you go out with him unless I approved."

"Oh, good to know big sis is looking out for me."

Her hand darts out to ruffle my hair, but Erica intercepts before it can make contact, "Not the hair!" Derek is laughing in the back and it is one of the best sounds I have ever heard. He should laugh all the time. Gah! Going to meet Danny. Don't think about Derek and his perfect laugh, and dimples, and eyes. This is going to be a long day.

By the time we get to the coffee place it is ten to eleven. I don't see Danny inside yet, so I guess I get to be dorkily early. Oh well. "Knock him dead." Laura winks.

"Thanks." I take a deep breath and then exit the car to head in. Once there, I order a hot chocolate with extra whip cream and get a table by the window to wait for Danny. I don't have to wait long, he is there five minutes after me and motions that he is going to get something before coming over to the table.

When he sits down, I am glad that Erica dressed me. I would have just worn what I normally do, jeans and a t-shirt with a plaid button-up and a hoodie. But Danny is wearing nice dark jeans with loafers and a dark red sweater. It compliments his mocha colored skin very well. "Okay, first things first, what did you order to drink. Answer carefully, this could make or break it."

I can tell he is joking, "Hot Chocolate with extra whip cream, you?"

"Chai tea. Brewed. Thank god you didn't order some ridiculous sweet horrible concoction. That would have put me off right away."

I am glad he started off the conversation like this. I can ease into an easy banter like this. "I don't really drink coffee. Tea yes, but I am kind of picky on that. So hot chocolate is always s safe bet."

"Same here. I cringe every time I come here with Jackson and Lydia. I swear they only order their half-caf, extra foam, four pumps not three, mocha lattes, just to be with the in crowd."

"Well that is one place I doubt you will ever find me. They would probably think that ordering a hot chocolate is juvenile and beneath them. But I could care less. I have a huge sweet tooth and chocolate is probably my second favorite thing."

"What's your first?"

"The box of different art mediums that belonged to my mom. I don't use them very often, but when I do it usually ends up being some of my best work."

"Your mom's an artist?"

"Was. She died a few years ago."

"Oh, sorry."

"Don't be. I love talking about her. She is actually the reason we moved here. She grew up here."

"Oh, that's kinda cool. Do you like it here so far?"

"Yeah, better than I thought I would. I was homeschooled up until this week, so that is different, but I'm glad that we moved here."

"So the Hales are treating you well?"

"Yeah why wouldn't they be?"

"No reason."

I don't really want to talk about this, but it isn't something that I want to bring up with them either. So of course my mouth starts moving before I know what it's doing. "Why are they all 'outcasts' anyway? What does everyone have against them?"

"It's petty really." He takes a sip of his drink before continuing. "So I don't know what all they've told you, and I don't mean that as in there is something to hide, but last year was a rough year for them. I don't really like to gossip, and you should probably ask them, but it isn't really a secret." He looks kind of torn, but I really want to know.

"You mean Paige."

"Yeah. Derek joined the basketball team and was the only freshman to start. He was that good. Probably still is. Really popular too, like even more so than Jackson seems to think he is now. Then he started dating Paige who was a bit of a loner. They were like the 'it' couple. After she died, he got really withdrawn, quit the basketball team, stopped talking to his friends and pretty much just barely passed his classes. Erica and Laura rallied around him and started fending off the jerks who were mad that he quit the team and others who stupid bullies and thought he would be an easy target. He was pretty emotionally raw for a while there. Even snapped once and punched a senior so hard he broke the dude's jaw."

I am shocked to hear this about Derek. He doesn't seem like the violent type, but then I guess with what happened to him I would feel the same. "There was a rumor going around that he was responsible for her death, but I don't believe that. They were like adorably, sickeningly in love with each other. No way was it his fault. So this year when school started, the Hales kinda closed off from the rest of the school. None of them are in extra circulars, and they always eat lunch in the courtyard or their car when it's raining. You are the first person who has tried to make friends with them, and honestly I'm glad you did."

"What? Why?"

"Well, I have a few classes with Derek, and he has just been this closed off silent brooding figure since the beginning of the year."

"Sourwolf." I let out with a chuckle. Danny gives me a look and I just shake my head. "Just a nick name I gave him. You were saying?"

"Yeah, uh, well this week, he has seemed more animated. He answers questions again, and actually pays attention. Erica and Laura were really worried about him, and now they seem more relaxed with you around. I never blamed the guy for the way he reacted. I am one of the few. But I didn't really know how or if I should try to talk to him. I mean it's not like I could say anything to make him feel better and I don't know them. But whatever you are doing, keep it up. It's working."

"I-I'm not doing anything. Just being his friend." I take a sip trying to find the right words. "I think that is what most kids our age don't know. When you lose someone important you don't want people to treat you differently. You want them to treat you the way they normally would. Whether that's insults or compliments. I mix it up and throw out a little of both. It's the way I felt when I started school and knew that when I explained what happened to my mom, that people would apologize and make it a big deal. And I'm not mad that they do, that you did," I laugh, "There really isn't much but 'I'm sorry' to say to that. But I just didn't want pity. I have a great dad, and I am happy with my life. I don't want to waste it thinking about what could have been. Instead I want to be in the now and live life to the fullest. If there is one thing I learned it's that life is short and you shouldn't waste it."

"Wow, you are not just a pretty face." I know I'm blushing, so I try to hide it with taking a long pull from my cup. "I can see what you mean. And I would say sorry for saying sorry, but that would be redundant." The blush turns into a laugh and we continue talking for the next two hours before Danny has to leave. "I really don't want to leave. This has been awesome. Maybe we could do it again?" He looks so hopeful, and I really did have fun.

"Sure. I'd like that." And it's the truth. I would like to do this again. Danny is funny, and sweet, and hot. I could really come to like him.

"Great. I'll text you later." He leaves and I am left fiddling with my empty cup. So I pull out my phone and text Erica that I am ready for her to come and get this shopping started. A new town, a new look, new friends, and maybe a new boyfriend. This has shaped up to be one amazing week.

* * *

So a few things.

The talk with Talia. I really wanted to write it, but then I thought that it would get winded and become a part that really isn't necessary. For those who would like to know, this is pretty much what she tells Stiles. Talia and Claudia were really close growing up, almost like sisters. Thier families were really close too. After Claudia's parents died, she distanced herself from the Hales to try and make things easier on herself. But she and Talia still talked somewhat through emails and Christmas cards.

Love Erica! This is the way I wish she had been in the show. I mean she kind of was, but then with her death at the beginning of 3a, we never really got to see more of it.

Lastly for the whole coffee thing, I am one of those who orders a complicated drink. It comes from being a Barista for a while, so I hold nothing against those who order them, but I just thought it was something that Danny and Stiles could bond over. Also a great ice breaker. Danny is a really nice guy and he would try to put Stiles at ease. Then he feels guilty for gossiping about the Hales. Danny is kind of above that, part of his good guy nature, but since it isn't really secret he tells. Don't worry, Danny/Stiles won't last forever. Just long enough to make Derek step up and pay attention.

This is the last chapter I have written right now, so I am not sure when the next one will be up. I try to follow a regular schedule, but you guys are amazing so i thought i would give it to you sooner. I am going to try and have another chapter ready for Saturday but I make no promises. I know where the characters are going, and events that will take place, it is just getting everything from my head translated into written words that takes some time. Sometimes it is easy and other times it is like trying to swim in jello.

Thanks for being amazing peoples and please let me know what you think! I love to get feedback, good or bad!


	5. Consists of More

So if you guys are interested the time line for this story starts in February and in this chapter we get through to the end of March. Just so you know what time of year it is.

* * *

After dropping Stiles off at the coffee shop we head home so the girls can wait to take him out afterwards. But I don't really want to join in on that. First of all, I don't like to go shopping, and I can tell that they are going to take hours to do this. When Erica told mom what they were planning, she gave Erica fifty dollars and told her to buy him some extra things. Don't know how she is going to get away with it though. Stiles was pretty adamant that they wouldn't buy anything for him.

The other reason is because I don't want to hear about his date. I know there girls are going to want all the details and bug him until he caves and tells them everything. And that makes me feel conflicted. I want him to be happy. I really do. But at the same time, I am almost jealous. It isn't something that I have felt before. Not like this. I don't want him to go out with Danny because I want to be the one who makes him smile and laugh. I want to be the one who is there for him no matter what and will make him feel like he can tell me anything. And he can. But if he and Danny get together then I might not be that person for him. I know that we can still be friends, but I don't think that we would be as close as we could be.

Danny really is a nice guy. I can't dislike him for any reason. Even when his friends were on my back last year, he never said anything against me. He actually got them to stop a few times. We've never been friends and that isn't likely to change any time soon, but I also feel that if he and Stiles start dating, I will be seeing more of him. And all of it keeps going in circles.

Part of me wants to be with Stiles, a really big part. I want to take him out and talk about meaningless things. Be sappy and romantic with him. But I want that with Kate too. And Kate. I feel so guilty for having those thoughts about Stiles because I am with Kate. She has been her own kind of amazing. She was the first one outside of the pack who didn't talk down to me, or act like my feeling didn't matter, that I was worth something. We have only been going out for about three months but I can really see myself loving her. I know that I'm falling already. When I'm with her I don't have to think about anything else that is going on. And she doesn't push me to do anything. I didn't think that I could feel like this again.

I am being torn in two different directions and I have no clue on what to do. I know mom would listen to me if I asked her to, but this isn't something that I want to talk to her about. Erica and Laura don't like Kate and would push me towards Stiles, especially after they find out that he is my Mate. The person I would normally go to is Peter, but after this last year he has grown distant. Not only pulling away from our old friendship, but also his absence from the house. He left about a week after Paige's death with his wife and newborn daughter and hasn't been home since. That was almost a year ago. He said that he was taking some time to see the world and learn more about our heritage. To see how other wolves in other parts of the world survive and act. But really he is running. It's what he does. Don't get me wrong, I love Peter. He was always more of a brother than an uncle to me, but he doesn't deal well with confrontation unless he has the upper hand somehow.

Mom was pretty pissed at him after she learned exactly what happened, that he not only let it happen, but suggested it in the first place. She said he should have known better. I should have too, but I trusted Peter. I didn't think that he would lead me astray. He was my best friend, but not anymore.

Erica gets a text from Stiles and she and Laura head out. Mom comes up to my room after they leave. "Not going with them?"

"You know I don't like shopping."

"Yes, but I know you like Stiles."

"Mom-"

"You think I don't know where you've disappeared off to the last few nights?" She gives me a smile to let me know she isn't angry.

I can't help but look down. "Sorry. I just… since I shifted, I have to make sure he's safe. I can't help it." So maybe I have spent the last few nights asleep on his roof. After the incident with the Hunters I have been a bit on edge. Mom says that she has things under control and not to worry about it. Just to keep our heads down, and to stay out of the preserve at night.

She comes over and sits down on the bed next to me pulling me up to the headboard to sit and hold me like she did the other night. "I know cub. I felt the same way after I met your father. He wasn't always a werewolf. I think you kids forget that sometimes. And he was stubborn. Almost more so than myself."

"How did you cope with your instinct?"

"Well first of all you have to remember that you can't force someone else to feel something they don't. Including yourself. Secondly you should always listen, to the people around you, to your family, your friends, and to yourself. Sometimes what your head and your heart want are different, but when they want the same thing, that is when you are on the path to what will make you happiest."

"But what if your head and your heart want two things equally?"

"This is about Stiles having a date and this mystery girl you have been seeing?"

I know that she knew I was seeing someone, but I haven't out right told her. I don't think the girls ratted me out either. Sometimes it is scary how she comes to know things she shouldn't. I didn't think that I would be able to talk to mom about this, but it is easier than I thought it would be. "Kinda. I mean, I really like her. Maybe even love her. But I like Stiles too. I don't know if it is only because of him being my Mate, or the fact that he is an amazing person. Everything is screwed up in my head and I don't know what to think anymore."

Her hand cards lazily through my hair as I rest my head on her shoulder falling into her embrace. "I can't tell you what to do cub. You just have to do what you think is right and hope for the best. I trust you to make the right choices and do what is best for you. You have to have the same trust in yourself."

Closing my eyes and shutting out the world for a bit seems like the right thing to do right now. Mom doesn't move, and we sit there for a few hours in silence. I still don't know what I want to do, but at least I know I have mom in my corner no matter what I decide.

Shopping goes about how I predicted it would. Erica and Laura pulling clothes off the racks and piling them in my hands as I wait around. Every once in a while I will flat out tell them no, and generally they listen. When the pile in my arms has grown to large I hold them and go to try them on. While I am in the dressing room they pester me to tell them about my date. I knew they would, so I make them work for it while I am playing dress up for them.

They gush over how cute Danny and I would be together, and get excited every time I come out of the fitting room in a new outfit. "I don't know, I mean he was really nice, but I don't think I am ready for anything serious right now. I mean I am only fifteen years old, I just moved here, and I am still getting settled."

"That is exactly why you should. He's young, your young, puppy love and all that. You just moved here, so you should be getting to know more people and putting yourself out there. You can't stay cooped up in your house all by yourself all the time."

"I know that Erica, but I have you guys, why would I need anyone else?"

Laura is the one who responds. "While that is a nice sentiment, we were also the first people to actually talk to you. Who knows if you were meant to stay?"

"Um, I do. I have talked to others in school thank you, I am not that much of a social misfit. But none of them hold my interest like you guys do. I may not have had many if any friends before, but I am really good at telling who is bullshitting me and who is actually interested in what I have to say. You guys, not so much with the bullshit."

"Yeah, but everyone has their secrets Stiles, even us."

"Of course you do. Everyone does." I turn from the mirror to look Laura in her eyes. "Why does it feel like you are trying to get me to ditch you guys and not be friends with you anymore? I mean, I thought we were."

She comes over to me and puts an arm around my shoulder. "I'm not trying to do that. We all like you, and you are more than welcome to stick with us. I just want you to know that you have options. With Danny you could become popular in no time."

"Yeah, but I don't really want to be popular. I've seen all the movies and read the books. The popular kids generally aren't happy with themselves and take out their own self-hate on the rest of the student populace. Danny may not be one of them, but I don't want to take a risk of turning into one myself." The girls laugh and we continue on like the conversation never happened.

After we finish Erica takes all of the clothes she liked holds her hand out for my money that I will be putting towards them. I know there is more here than what I can afford, but I don't think I am going to win that argument. I hand over the money but not without stating my discomfort with this. "You know I don't really need the clothes that badly."

"Yes you do Stiles. Now just hand me the money and shut up. Okay?" I do of course. I don't know what it is, but there is the ferociousness about the Hales that makes me want to be wary but at the same time feels familiar. It is so strange. It's like how I felt comfortable with them form the beginning, I don't know how or why, I just do. But whatever it is I won't question it.

…

The next few weeks pass by pretty smoothly. I settle into a routine of running with Derek, school, hanging out with the Hales, and dates with Danny. Dad has been pulled into a few cases and spends a lot of time at the station but always tries to make sure we have a few nights together. Whenever he works an overnight I spend the night at the Hale house. The first time was weird, well not weird but not what I expected. We had a slumber party in the giant living room. Even Cora was there with us. But now I find myself there more and more even when dad is home for the night. The Hale house is becoming like a second home to me. I thought I was lucky enough to have one, but now I have two. Talia and Sam, Derek's dad, have been amazing. They told me I am welcome anytime day or night.

Spending time with Laura, Erica, and Derek has been pretty great too. Derek and I have been spending a lot of time together. Most of it in the tree house. We don't do much up there, mostly homework. But we talk a lot too, about everything. He listens to me when I rant and doesn't seem to mind. I still haven't been able to get past the crush I have on him, but being with Danny helps.

Danny has been wonderful. He has had a few boyfriends already and knows that I want to take things slowly. He has kissed me on the cheek a few times but never on the lips. He has left a few hickeys before, but not ones that last more than a day. And I gotta say my neck is probably one of the most sensitive places on my body so I am so okay with that. But I'm not sure that I am ready for more than that right now. We hold hands in the hallway and stand closer than friends do. Even though things with him feel good, they still don't feel right. I can't tell why either. I mean Danny is incredible. We have sat together a few times at his table at lunch with his friends, and at first they just ignored me like I didn't even exist. The next time they did talk to me, but with obvious distain. I am pretty sure that Danny said something to them about it, but after the third time of only really talking to Danny, we decided to not sit with them again. He has also come to sit with me at our table outside. Erica and Laura almost ignore me, but it is to interrogate Danny rather than not wanting to talk to me. I just held his hand through it and gave encouraging squeezes.

Every time Danny sat with us, Derek seemed a bit off. In fact every time I go to hang out with him after I was just with Danny he has been off. I don't know what is going on with him. But then one day about three weeks after Danny and I started dating it all comes to a head.

Derek has been acting edgy all day and is almost verging on Jackson levels of douchebag. "What is your problem today? Did I do something wrong?"

"No." He almost bites the word out and his lips form a very thin line.

"Okay, see this," I gesture to his whole self, "Not okay. What the hell is wrong? If I didn't do anything then why are you so volatile?"

"It's just been a tough day."

"Okay, I get that. I have them too, but this seems to have been going on for the whole week." That part is true. It started off milder but over the last few days it has only gotten worse. He looks up at me for the first time in two days and instantly locks on to the recent hickey that Danny left. Usually he keeps them lower so I can hide them better, but we both got a bit carried away last night. He scoffs and turns his head away with a scowl on his face. "Is this about Danny? I know you don't like him, but for the life of me, I can't figure out why. He is nice to everyone, he doesn't push me for anything I'm not ready for, and has doesn't even care when I ditch him to hang out with you guys. So what is your problem with him?"

His eyes lock with my mine and they almost seem to flash blue. This is something else that has been happening more and more. It is a blue like the one I colored after that first day I met him. "I don't have a problem with him. Just tell him to keep his marks on you places where the rest of us don't have to see them." His anger is there right below the surface. While his tone was somewhat calm, I know that isn't the way he is feeling. I have gotten really good at reading him.

"That's a lie. I know you don't like him. No matter how much you say otherwise."

"Fine! I don't like him! Is that what you want to hear? I don't like him and I don't like seeing his damn marks on your neck! I don't like that smug look he gets when he is around you, and I don't like the way he talks to you when he thinks no one can hear him!" The blue in his eyes flash a few times during his rant and the tension that was hidden before is now palpable between us.

How can he say any of that? What right does he have? "What!"

"You heard me!"

"Yeah, I heard it, I just can't believe it. You have no say over who I am with or what I do with them. You have a _girlfriend_ of your own, I haven't said anything against her, I haven't even told my dad about it. Do you know what that's like? I don't have any secrets from him, and here I am hiding the fact that you are dating someone who is almost ten years older than you. That is illegal! That's a misdemeanor! She could serve time in jail for it if she was ever convicted. But I haven't said anything to him about it because she makes you happy! I don't think it's appropriate, but I haven't said anything because she makes you happy! So what gives you the right to say anything against Danny? He is my age, and we haven't even kissed properly yet, what do you have against him? Why can't you let me have the same happiness that you have?" My chest is heaving and my heart is hammering against my chest.

Derek is breathing hard too, his eyes are wide and his hands are clenching and unclenching into fists. Then without a word he is down the hatch and running too fast for me to catch up to through the clearing and into the tree line. I can't stand anymore because my breathing has gotten to panic levels, and it takes every trick I have not to fall into a panic attack. I sink into the beanbag chair and recover before I start to descend the ladder and go back to the road where I left my bike. It will take me some time to get home, but don't think I can face the Hale family right now.

It takes about an hour to bike home and it is almost dark out when I get there. Dad is gone until the early hours of the morning, so I have the house to myself. Finally I check my phone and see a few missed calls from Laura and one voicemail. 'Hey Stiles, I know that you usually spend the night here when your dad is working super late, but I don't think it's a good night for that. Things are kinda crazy here. But I will totally make it up to you later. Tomorrow, movies and ice cream on me. Sorry, talk to you later. Bye.'

And that is just the cherry on top of this fucked up sundae. I am not going to let Derek get away with treating me like that. And to have his family even backing him up, well that just pisses me off more. So I lock up the house and get back on my bike to go back to the Hale house. Derek and I are gonna have this out even if I have to yell on his front lawn.

While I am riding over I start to think about why I am reacting like this. And I can't come up with a reason. I mean I broke things up with Danny last night. That make-out session was a final good bye. And we still didn't even kiss properly. He knew that I wasn't in it one-hundred percent, that I had feelings for someone else. He was so nice about it. He said that he knew the whole time. When I asked him why he still went out with me he said that he wanted to give it a try anyway. That I was worth the effort. That made me feel bad even more. Danny would have been perfect. He will be perfect, just for someone else. I did give him a quick peck on the lips as a final goodbye. Hopefully we can still be friends, I would like to still be his friend.

Before I know it I am outside the Hale house and Erica is standing on the porch as if she was waiting for me. "Stiles, you should turn around and go home. You shouldn't be here right now."

"No, I think this is exactly where I should be right now. What did he tell you? Did he say it was my fault?" carefully I edge closer to her.

"He didn't say anything actually. Hasn't spoken a word since he got here."

"Well I have a few things I want to tell him so if you don't mind." I try to move around her, but she blocks my way.

"Stiles. Go home. I promise we can hang tomorrow. But for now just go home."

I can feel my heart beating in my chest. There is no reason in my mind as to why I feel the need to get in the house right now, but it's there. And I am going to get in. I fake going right and she moves that way, so I go left and duck under her outstretched arm and just make it into the house before she can catch me. "Derek!" Once I hit the living room I am knocked to the floor and there is a big black wolf standing over me keeping me down. It is growling and as soon as it sniffs at my neck the growling lessens and it settles over my body keeping its nose close to me. I can see Talia coming closer to us, but once she gets within a few feet the wolf starts growling again and she backs off. "What the hell is going on? Why is there a wolf on me?"

Panic is starting to creep in, and the wolf must sense that and lifts it head to stare at me with its bright blue eyes that slowly start to fade into a green that I know. A green that I have seen every day for the last few weeks. "Derek?" The wolf chuffs and licks my cheek. "Uh, someone want to explain this? How is Derek a wolf?"

A low whine starts to come out of Derek and without thinking I raise my hands to slide into his fur and scratch at his neck and behind his ears. The whine tapers off and he settles down again. The weight should be uncomfortable but strangely it isn't. "Would you believe me if I said that we're werewolves?"

I turn to where Laura is standing a few feet away, the whole Hale family has made a sort of circle around us and they all look ready to pounce at a moment's notice. Everyone but Talia. "Werewolves. You guys are werewolves." My voice is flat and I don't know if this is some sort of joke or a large prank they are playing on me. But then the wolf/Derek licks my cheek again and I look it in the eyes. The eyes that belong to my best friend. And how can I not believe it.

"Yeah, there a problem with that?" Erica stands defensively with her hands on her hips and a mock glare at me. Derek growls a bit but I keep scratching and he settles again. Erica's stance relaxes too. "You know, he never lets us pet him like that. Like ever."

I move to sit up and Derek moves just enough to let me do that. He curls himself around me and puts his head in my lap so I can continue scratching him. "Okay so you guys are werewolves, and oh my God! Tonight is the full moon. Is that why he is all wolfed out? Why aren't you guys wolfed out? Are you gonna kill me? Was I never supposed to know about you guys? Are you gonna turn me into a werewolf? I mean that would be cool, but I think I like being human thanks. I don't know if I want a furry problem once a month. Why are you guys laughing at me?" And it's true, they are all laughing at me. Well everyone but Talia. She has a smile on her face, but she isn't laughing, just amused.

She takes a seat in one of the armchairs, and that seems to settle the rest of them enough to relax and take their own seats. "No, Stiles, we aren't going to hurt your or turn you. I wouldn't do that without your permission. As for why he is 'wolfed out' we are not sure. He came home like this, and none of us have been able to get him to shift back. We all are born werewolves. We learn to control the shift from a very young age, Derek has had a hard year though and his control isn't as strong as it used to be." Derek lets out a small whine almost like an apology.

"Is that why he has been so agitated the last few days? The full moon was affecting him?"

"Yes, the moon pulls out the more animalistic instincts in us, and new bitten and younger were's have a harder time controlling them. Derek has gone through some trying times and his anchor is off, but I think he has found a new one."

"An anchor? You mean something to ground him?"

"Yes."

"Oh." I look down at him and he looks slightly up at me. "I'm your anchor? How? Why?"

"That is not always clear to us, but you have anchors of your own do you not?"

"Yeah I guess. I mean I use focus points when I feel a panic attack coming on, I guess you could say they are anchors."

"Derek hasn't been able to make the full shift for quite a while now because he was missing an anchor."

"Full shift? You mean into a wolf. There is another? Do you turn into something like the wolfman?"

"No, but there is a partial shift. Laura if you would demonstrate." I look over at her, and it is almost instantaneous. Her face grows sideburns, her forehead gets broader and tougher with a wicked widows peak and her nose and eyebrows get more prominent. Her eyes shift to a golden amber color, while her teeth lengthen into fangs and her nails sharpen into vicious looking claws. Then almost as soon as it was there, it is gone again. "That is what we call the half shift, or the Beta shift."

"Beta? You mean like pack dynamics. Does that make you the Alpha?"

"Very astute Stiles."

"Well, I just, I don't know." I look back down to Derek and feel him close in a little closer all round me, his tail flopping up onto my thigh.

"Stiles, please, finish the thought."

"I don't know. I just feel like you have this, this power. I felt it the first time I saw you. Almost like I should always listen to you. That you won't lead me astray should I ask you for help. It's weird."

"No, it's not."

"What?"

"That is the pack bond you felt. I felt it too. I felt it because you are pack."

"But I'm not a werewolf."

"Neither was your mother, but she was a part of our pack."

"What?" At this Laura and Erica look over to her as well with a questioning gaze.

"Your mother was a part of this pack. It is something that I know she never spoke of, it is why she never came home. Her father was a bitten wolf. Bitten by my father, the previous Alpha. It was to save his life. He had just been diagnosed with cancer and was close friends with my father. He was young and just about to marry your grandmother. The bite saved him as wolves heal extremely fast and most diseases don't affect us. They had your mother and they were part of this pack."

"That's why he smelled like pack when we met him? Because he already was?"

"Yes Laura. Stiles has always been pack."

"Wait, I smell? And if my grandpa was a werewolf, does that mean mom was? I'm not. Does it work like that for turned wolves? Or only for those born?"

Talia laughs again. "Ever the inquisitive one, no your mother was not a wolf. It isn't an exact science. There is a higher probability of having a wolf if you are one, but it isn't always true. Laura was born before Sam was turned, and she is a wolf. As are Derek and Cora. But your mother wasn't and she didn't want the bite. Not even after she found out about the tumor. There is no guarantee with the bite. It can turn your or it can kill you. She didn't want to take the risk of losing what time she did have with you."

Talking about her now makes some sadness settle in my heart. There is the whole part of her life that I didn't know about. I feel like she kept so many secrets from me and dad. Derek must sense my sadness and lifts his head to tug lightly at the collar of my shirt and rests his head on my shoulder. I can tell that he wants a hug, so I give in easily, and the sadness is eased a bit. He is rubbing his head against my cheek and neck. He is scenting me. And wait a minute. "You guys were scenting me. Every time you touched me, you were scenting me."

"He is a quick one isn't he." Sam looks impressed with me.

"I knew he would be, he is so much like his mother."

"Yes, Stiles, we were scenting you. We wanted to make sure that if any other wolves or supernatural creatures came through town they knew not to mess with you because you were under our protection. All we wanted to do was keep you safe. It's why I told you not to come tonight, because Derek was wolfed out, and he hasn't had control will in this form. I didn't want you to get hurt. But your stupid ass came anyway."

"Well he pissed me off, and it just sounded like you guys were all taking his side and that made me even madder. I couldn't let it go. Sorry I didn't listen, you guys probably didn't want me to know your secret, but I promise I won't tell anyone. I would never betray you like that."

"I know you won't Stiles, we were going to tell you soon anyway. Mom said we could when we thought you were ready. And seeing as you aren't freaking out, I guess you were."

"Oh, I'm totally freaking out. Just on the inside. I mean you guys are werewolves, how freaking cool is that!" Then I pull away from Derek and he looks me in the eyes. "But you are so not off the hook buddy, I don't care if it was the pull of the moon making you go all crazy, you still had no right to act the way you have been." He lets out a low whine and settles back into my lap. "Besides, I broke up with Danny last night, so you won't have to worry about it anymore."

He raises his head at that and lets out a, a purr? Can wolves purr? "What? Why did you break up with him?"

"I didn't see it going anywhere Erica."

"But he is so hott!"

"I know, but I'm in love with someone else. And before you ask, no I won't tell you who. So don't even bother trying to get it out of me."

"You know I can if I want to."

"Yeah, but now I have ways of putting you off, like wearing too much deodorant. I know you guys hate it when I put too much on. And don't think I haven't noticed how you girls don't wear heavy perfume, at first I just thought you got into the whole natural scents thing, but now I know it's cause your sniffers are extra sensitive."

"Fine, but I will figure it out, with or without your help."

"And I will always plead the fifth." She huffs, but I can already see the gears turning in her head trying to work out who my secret crush is. I just don't want her to know that it's Derek. I am going to have to be extra careful now that I know they have super senses, and how is that fair. "What other benefits does being a werewolf have? Besides the super smell and transformative powers?"

"Well really it's all of our senses that are heightened, smell, hearing, taste, touch, and sight. Then there is the strength, speed, and endurance."

"So that means that when Derek runs with me in the morning he is actually slowing himself down?" Derek looks up and licks my hand clearly telling me that it's okay, and he doesn't mind. And is it weird that I can read him so well even though he can't actually speak?

"Yeah, but he has been calmer lately, the last few days excluded. More himself before…"

"Paige." Derek whimpers and snuggles his head into my lower abdomen. I don't really want to ask this next question, but I feel I should know everything. "Derek said that it was his fault she died, did it have to do with something wolfy?"

"I think that is something that Derek should tell you himself."

I look at Talia. I know whatever happened wasn't good, but she looks almost angry. I am pretty sure that it isn't directed at Derek or myself, but I can't be sure. "When will he turn back, is he able to?"

"I think he may need to spend some more time like this for now, but he should be back to himself tomorrow. Would you mind staying here tonight? You can go up to Derek's room and sleep in his bed." I nod and start to get up. It is getting late and I can feel sleep creeping up on me. Derek walks right beside me keeping close and not letting anyone else near. I feel like this is more than just me being his anchor, but right now I can't really care. I have just had a bunch of information dumped on me, and it is going to take some time to get it all sorted in my head.

I grab a pair of sweatpants and t-shirt to change into seeing as I didn't bring anything of my own and change quickly. Then I lay on top of the blankets, having a furry wolf lay next to me should be all the warmth I need for the night. As soon as I am settled Derek jumps up and lays down next to me lining his body up with mine and resting his head on my chest. Lazily my hand comes up and continues to run through his fur scratching every so often. "You know we have a lot to talk about when you can use your words again right? I didn't mean to be so angry earlier, but you weren't talking to me, and after the last few weeks, I got so used to you telling me how you felt. Or at least not hiding it so I could tell, but this week you closed yourself off, and I had no idea what was going on with you." I roll over and wrap both of my arms around his neck and bury my face in the fur around his neck. "I don't like fighting with you Der. You're my best friend. So you better give me a better explanation tomorrow for why you acted the way you did." My words start coming out slower and slower as sleep takes me.

Stiles falls asleep and it is sometime around midnight when I am finally able to make the shift back from the wolf. After our fight at the tree house I ran until I was sure he wouldn't see me and then I shifted and ran all the way back to the house where I hid behind the couch in the living room. The others tried to coax me out of my hiding spot but I just needed to burrow somewhere and not be bothered.

But then I heard Stiles, and he was here. Mom, dad, and Laura had to hold me back as Erica went out to send him away, but once he was in the house, I escaped them and made sure the others wouldn't touch him. I don't know how, but I was able to stay in control this time. At least enough that I wouldn't hurt him and just wanted to be near him. The entire time he talked with them I was content because while he was shocked at finding out about us, he accepted it too. He was pack, and now he knows it.

I don't know what I am going to tell him about my actions for the last week, but I won't tell him about us being Mates. Not yet. He has learned a lot as it is, and while he is smart, he needs time to let it all sink in. This will change how we interact with each other a bit, but at the same time it will bring us closer.

Mom comes in and hands me a pair of shorts to put on so that when Stiles wakes up I won't be naked in bed with him and wished me sweet dreams. I don't think I'll be sleeping tonight though. Not with my mate wrapped around me like this. Now that I am human again he arms are still wrapped around my neck and his head is buried in the crook of it, one of his legs is thrown across me and my arms are curled around him holding him closely to me. I can't help but watch his eyes move behind the lids as he dreams. He looks so innocent and I am glad that he is finally in on our secret. I can share things with him now that I couldn't before. The more I am with him the less I think about Kate. I don't know if I want to break it off with her or not, but I don't think that I can just let Stiles go. I don't think I will be happy if he is with someone else. I have a few hard choices to make in the next few days, but for now I am content with my Mate and nothing can change that.

* * *

So Derek is really conflicted, and I give you lots of angst. Also Stiles gets together with and breaks up with Danny. I never wanted that relationship to go very far and it didn't. Hope you guys are cool with it. Also I had this idea that Stiles would be pissed at Derek and storm into the house on a full moon and find out the big secret. So it all fit together quite nicely I think.

They still have a lot to talk about, and they won't get together for a while longer yet, but we have progress! YAY!

As always thank you for your ongoing support and please let me know what you guys think! Love to hear your feedback good or bad! I don't like to give out too much in the way of plot, but if you have any questions please feel free to ask!


	6. Now that the Trees are Gone

You know when you wake up and your brain wakes up before your body and you are aware of your surroundings but you can't really move yet? Well that is how I wake in the morning. And slowly I start to freak out. I expected to wake up feeling fur or blankets, but instead I am met with lots of bare skin and hard muscle. "Stiles, calm down. It's okay." And somehow that is enough to calm me down a bit. That and Derek's arm holding me tightly to him. The fact that I have one arm flung across his ridiculously sculpted abs and a leg curled around one of his doesn't go unnoticed, but he apparently doesn't have a problem with it. My head is resting on his chest and he has his nose in my hair. "Seriously, everything's okay. And before you say anything I just wanted to apologize for the way I've been acting the last few days. I know you said you needed an explanation but I don't really know what to tell you. Part of me was so happy that you were happy, and I wanted that for you. But the other part of me was, well, jealous."

I have to lift my head and look at him for this. "You were what?" I know my heart starts beating a bit faster, and the worst part is that now I know Derek can hear it.

"I was jealous. I mean over the last few weeks we've gotten pretty close. And I haven't had a friend in a long time. I mean sure I've had Laura and Erica, but they're pack, family, I live with them. I didn't have anyone outside of that. And somehow you managed to come in out of nowhere and make a place for yourself without even trying." We both move to sitting up with our legs crossed facing each other. And Derek keeps one of my hands in his, if I wasn't so flustered already I am sure that my heart would be beating a lot faster. How can he not know the effect he has on me? "You smell like pack, you are pack, somehow you became my anchor and I was jealous because I thought that if you and Danny got serious then I would lose whatever it is that we share. And your friendship meant too much to me to lose it. So I kept the way I felt quite, you were happy. But the full moon takes all of the small things and heightens them. It makes keeping our emotions harder to reign in. I wasn't able to hide the way I felt, so I tried to stay away from you, but you are my anchor, and I couldn't. I didn't want to hurt you. If Danny makes you happy then I want you to get him back, I'll even help you. I will find a way to not get jealous again."

"Derek, I broke up with him, and it had nothing to do with you." He looks at me as if he didn't believe me. "It had nothing to do with the way you were acting. Danny was amazing, and I hope that he and I can keep being friends, but I broke up with him because, because I'm kinda in love with someone else." I can't meet his eyes when I say that. But he lifts my head up to look at him after a few seconds.

There is an almost sad look in his eyes when we do look at each other, but it is gone almost instantly. "Don't feel bad about it. Whoever you feel that way about is one lucky guy. He doesn't know what he's missing out on." And all I can think is that he would feel that way if he knew the truth.

"I don't know that you would say that if you knew who it was."

"Well what's stopping you from trying?"

"Well he is already in a relationship, and he is perfectly happy, I don't want to be a home wrecker and there is no evidence that he feels the same way."

"Okay, then why didn't you stay with Danny? I mean you seemed to like him."

"Yeah, I did, I do, but it isn't fair to him if I am with him but thinking of someone else. Nobody wants to be second best. And he said he knew that I had feelings for someone else. I just didn't want to hurt him any more than I already have. He should be able to find someone who makes him feel like the most important person in the world. And I wasn't that person."

"I'm sorry."

"Why? It's not your fault. I just need to find a way to get over this guy and move on. It's not gonna be easy, but it's what I have to do. And I don't want to talk about this anymore, so why don't we talk more about the fact that my three best friends are werewolves. Cause that seems like a major and important thing to know about."

He scratches the back of his head and since he is still shirtless his bicep bulges a bit and I have to look away for a moment to collect myself. "Yeah, sorry about that."

"Why are you sorry? I mean it's not like a thing you just go around telling people, right?"

"No, but you're pack, we should have told you."

"Dude, this is like a major secret. I get why you didn't tell me. But now I want to know everything, so you better spill. I mean I got the basics last night, but I want to know more."

"Well, you know about the enhanced senses and physical attributes, but there are a few other things too."

"Like being able to shift into a full on wolf."

"Yeah, but it seems to be something that only a born wolf can do, the ones who are bitten don't seem to be able to make the shift all the way. We don't know why, but that's just the way it seems to be." Then something comes to me from what Talia told me last night, and it makes me look at Derek differently. Not in a bad way, but I think I understand him a bit better. "What?"

I guess he noticed something in me. "It's nothing."

"Stiles, something else wolves can do is hear heartbeats, and when someone lies there is a skip or a little tremor in the steady beat. Your heart skipped a beat when you said that."

"Damn, I'm not gonna be able to hid anything from you guys, am I?" I will just have to get creative in the way I speak when I don't want to tell them something then. "I don't want to ask, I don't want to bring it up."

He takes a minute to look me in the eyes and I think he gets to the same realization I did. "Paige." I shrug my shoulders. "It's okay Stiles, you can ask me. I won't be angry."

"Uh, well, she received the bite didn't she? And she rejected it. That's why she died." He nods his head slowly. "Then it wasn't your fault. It couldn't have been."

"Yes it was. I thought that the only way I could be with her forever was if she knew what I was. But I was afraid to tell her, maybe she would freak out and run away from me. Then Peter came up with this idea to give her the bite. If she was a werewolf I could help her with the change and she would have to accept it. Mother would never have done it though. But there were a few packs in town asking for my mother's help. She is one of the more powerful Alphas, and a lot of others ask for her advice. There are Hunters here and they killed one of the other pack's Beta's so Peter thought that if we asked him to bite Paige then he would gain back a Beta, and gain favor with mom. But she started to reject the bite. She was dying."

I reach over and take both his hands in mine. "Derek."

He shakes his head, but tightens the hold on my hands. "Did you know that a Beta's eyes are gold and an Alpha's are red?" I shake my hand. "Well I have blue." And he looks at me while flashing his eyes. "I have blue because I killed an innocent. I literally killed Paige. Not just by getting her the bite. She was in so much pain, and I couldn't do anything about it. It's another gift we have, to take another's pain and make it our own. I kept taking it, but it wasn't helping. She asked me-"

His voice shuts down and his gaze turns away from me. "She asked you to end the pain. And you loved her so much that you did. She asked you to do something terrible, but you did it to save her any lasting agony." He tries to pull his hands away but I don't let him. I know he could if he really wanted to, but he doesn't.

"I killed her."

"You saved her from more pain. You are so much stronger than I thought you were. Never doubt yourself about that."

He pulls me to him and leans us against the headboard wrapping his arm over my shoulder and pulling my arms around him in a hug. His nose digs into my hair and I can tell that he is scenting me. It must bring him comfort and it is something I am more than willing to do. "After that I lost myself. Mom was the one who found us and we had to leave her body. They called it an animal attack and the Hunters have been all over the place since then."

"That is the second time you said 'Hunters', what do you mean, who are they?"

"They are people who hunt werewolves. Usually they only go after rouges and wolves that kill people. But ever since the packs were here they haven't left us alone. Even after the other packs left. Erica and I were chased down just a few weeks ago. They go by a code. But it seems that lately they aren't following it. We've been keeping our heads down, but I am pretty sure they know who we are. The Argents are one of the oldest families out there. They have massive resources and we don't really know how many they number. Right now here in Beacon Hills there are only six of us. And Cora is only ten. We don't want to fight, we aren't monsters. If I didn't know you better, I would be surprised that you are still here."

I can't help the light laughter that escapes me. "It's gonna take a bit more than that to scare me away. Plus I know you guys wouldn't hurt me. I trust you."

Derek's grip tightens a bit, but it isn't uncomfortable so I don't say anything. "I'm glad you know about us now. I'm sorry for the way you found out, but I'm not sorry you know."

"Me too, plus wolf cuddles are kinda the best, definitely gotta have more of those from now on. And I promise to not make too many dog jokes. That seems like it might be racist or something." Derek laughs then and it is the most amazing sound ever. After the way he has been feeling it is a relief to know he is really okay. Then the door opens and two three wolves race into the room and jump up onto the bed. They are all tawny in color and one is a fair bit smaller than the others. "Laura, Erica, and Cora?" The each reach up and lick my face. Derek laughs but it is quieter than before. "Why are they different colors from you?"

Derek shrugs his shoulders. "It's another one of those unexplainable things. Mom and I are black, but just about everyone else in the family are either this color or more grey. Some are a mix. Mom is also a bit bigger than normal wolves, but that is because she is the Alpha."

The girls snuggle in around us on the bed and it all seems so normal. I mean this is so far from normal, but it feels right. "So what do you guys normally do on full moons?"

"Well before the Hunters came we used to go for runs in the preserve. But now we just tend to sit together and watch movies and hang out here at home. If we do go for a run it is usually during the day and we never go fully shifted."

"Okay these Hunters are really starting to piss me off. What do they have against you anyway?"

"The same thing they've had against us for the last few hundred years. The fact that we exist. They think we are monsters."

"Have they ever even tried to get to know you? I mean I can see how some might be seen as that if they kill people for fun, but you guys obviously don't do that. You are a family. A super powered family, but a family none the less."

"Only you would think of them as super powers."

"Well, they kinda are. I mean you have super strength, super senses, super speed, you can heal extremely fast, you can take other's pain, and you can shift into a freaking wolf! How is that not super?"

The girls let out a noise that I would call wolf laughter and Derek scoffs. "I guess. We just don't think about it like that I guess. Being born like this and all."

"So we should go for a run or something. I mean you guys have to have a bunch of pent up energy right?"

"I suppose, but I think mom is gonna want me to stay here." Derek looks down and runs his fingers through Erica's fur. "I'm not sure how in control I would be outside the house. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"Dude, I don't think you would. But we can totally stay here. I mean, me being here helps right?"

"Of course it does. I haven't been in control of myself as a wolf for a few months now. And last night I was."

"Good. Then I guess we can just stay here and watch movies and cuddle. Did I mention how much I am all about wolf cuddles? Cause I am all for them."

Derek laughs again and we get up to move downstairs and relax on the floor. I think I still have some questions but for now they can wait.

Stiles was amazing today. He asked some more questions throughout the day, and we all answered him as best we could, but I still can't get over how accepting he has been over all of this. When he woke up this morning I though his heart was going to beat right out of his chest. But he calmed himself down and we were able to talk things out. I didn't tell him the whole truth, and neither did he, but I don't want to push it too far.

He said that he is in love with someone and that hurts a bit. I really just want him happy, and if that means he isn't with me, then I will have to find a way to be okay with that. Now that he knows some of the reason for my actions, I think things will be okay. There is always the chance that it won't be, but I have to think positively.

It isn't until he leaves that night that I think of Kate again. I don't know what I should do about her. My feeling for her haven't changed, but the way I feel towards Stiles has. I can't lead her on if I want to try and pursue him, but I can't be with him if I am still in love with her. Things are so messed up right now. Laura seems to sense my distress and comes into my room still in her wolf form and I shift with her and we fall asleep in a giant pile together.

Werewolves. My friends are werewolves. I can handle this. I'm not freaking out. Except I totally am. I mean really? But no. This doesn't change who they are. It doesn't change the fact that they were nice to me from the start. But it does. They never said as much, but the fact that I smelled like pack was an instant draw for them especially since they didn't know who I was. That I did have a connection to them even though none of us knew it. But it was there.

And I am Derek's anchor. That part is a little overwhelming, but at the same time I am glad that it's me. It gives us a connection that no one else has with him. It brings us closer together in a way that he doesn't share with anyone else. It's a part of him that's mine, and mine alone. The knowledge of it doesn't go to help the huge crush I have on him though. He sees me as a friend and nothing else. Then there is Kate. His girlfriend. It doesn't seem like they are breaking up anytime soon.

And there are the Hunters. I feel like there is still so much that I don't know. So as soon as I get home I go up to my computer and start digging through the internet trying to find some answers. When I put in the name Argent, the first thing that pops up is that in French it means silver. And how funny is that? In myth it is said that werewolves are weak against silver when in actuality it is the family, not the metal that is their weakness. Then a few other things pop up. Like this business that seems to work with the government to supply them with weapons and ammo. If this is the same family it gives them a legal way to obtain and carry weapons and make it look completely normal. There isn't much more that comes out of the search, but the sound of my window opening pulls me out of the focus I had on the screen.

When I turn Erica is standing there closing said window. She goes over and sits on my bed like she just didn't break into my room. "Uh, hi?"

"Hi."

"Um, what are you doing here, in my room, in the middle of the night? And why did you come through the window?"

"Convenience. Also so I wouldn't wake your dad. He is sleeping downstairs on the couch."

"Okay? How can I help you?"

"What I am about to tell you, you can't tell anyone. Mostly because I can't prove anything yet, and it would only make Derek angry if I was wrong."

"Okay. I won't say anything." I am still confused but I move to sit on the bed with her much like Derek and I were earlier today. Cross legged and face to face.

"Good. I need your help now that you are in the know. I think Kate might be a Hunter, and I think she is trying to use him to get to us. But he is so in puppy love with her that he can't see that. Laura just tries to stay out of it, and Talia and Sam don't even know who it is he is dating."

"What makes you think she is one? I mean you have to have some kind of proof, or seen something." If she really is a Hunter then there is a danger to not only Derek, but to the Hales, and I would do just about anything to protect them.

"At first it was just this feeling, like when there is a cold wind and it raises the hair on the back of your neck, you know. And then the few times I have poked around the outside of her house I smell gunpowder and something else. I don't know what it is because whatever kind of perfume she wears washes out the scent of it. If I were to take a stab in the dark I would say it was wolfsbane. But I have no proof. I can't follow her because if she is a Hunter she could kill me easily."

"I thought that Hunters have a code?"

"Yeah, well not every Hunter follows the code. Derek and Laura don't know this, and you better not tell them, but my parents were killed by Hunters. We didn't used to live here in Beacon, we lived farther north. We were out running on the full moon and they got taken down. I managed to hide long enough to wait out the night and then I ran all the way here. I was six."

"Oh, Erica!" I pull her into a hug and hold tight.

"It's okay, I don't remember much about them anymore. Derek and Laura think it was a car crash that killed them. And that is the way the Hunters made it look so it was believable. Talia has been amazing, and even though I am not really related to them, they have become my family. But Kate puts me on edge. I mean I know Derek is hott, but why would a twenty-five year old woman be interested in a sixteen year old boy?"

My heartbeat picks up a bit at that. And Erica gives me a calculating look like she did when we first met. "OH MY GOD! The guy you are in love with is Derek!"

"What? No- why would you-"

She point to herself. "Werewolf. You can't lie to me. You totally love him!"

I sigh and look down at my lap. "You can't tell him. He doesn't see me like that, and I don't want to ruin the friendship we have. Plus he has Kate whether you are right about her or not."

"Yeah, but you would be so much better for him. I mean you are his freaking anchor!"

"It doesn't matter. We are friends and that is all it will be."

She keeps that shrewd gaze on me. "That's why you broke up with Danny isn't it. You love Derek."

"Yeah, I mean Danny is great, but he deserves to find someone who will only think of him. And I couldn't be that person. Not right now. I don't even know how this happened. I mean I have only known you guys for like a month. How can I be in love with him?"

"Love isn't rational. You can't help who you fall in love with."

"I know, I just wish that my heart could have picked someone I could actually hide it from. I am surprised that you guys didn't figure it out already."

"I think we were all too distracted by your scent and making sure that you felt welcome."

"Thanks for that. But how are we gonna prove if Kate is or isn't a Hunter?"

"Well I thought we could stalk her and see if she leads us to anything. The only Hunter family in the area is the Argents. If she is a Hunter, she would be working with them, or at least under them. There are ways that they can make sure us were's can't get into certain places."

"How?"

"It's called Mountain Ash. It's made from Rowan trees and it creates this barrier that most supernatural creatures can't pass. I have run into a few while trying to follow her, but it mostly leads toward abandoned warehouses. And past the smell of gunpowder there is really no other evidence."

"Okay so we follow her and try and see if she does anything suspicious. The fact that she is so much older is weird, but I can get why Derek fell for her. I mean she had to be like the first person outside the pack who didn't treat him like an outsider after Paige died. He still blames himself for her death, even though it wasn't his fault."

"No that was Peter's. And he hasn't show his face here since that happened. He took his wife and daughter and they have been traveling for the last year. Talia wasn't too happy to find out his part in all of that. Seeing as it was his idea."

"How old is Peter? From the way you guys talk about him he seems like he should be our age, but then he is Talia's brother right?"

"Yeah, he is about ten years older than us, but he and Derek were always pretty close. I think it's because Derek was the only boy, and Peter kind of spoiled him growing up. Der didn't used to be as close to me and Laura as he is now. But we kind of filled in the gap the Peter left. Now it's more you, than us, but we are perfectly okay with that. He needs more friends."

"Well I'm here for as long as you guys want me."

She is quite for a minute. "Do you think you might ask for the bite?"

I am bit shocked at the question. "I didn't know I could."

"Well of course you can. I mean you would have to ask Talia, but I don't see why she would say no." I am not sure of my answer yet. I mean it's not like I haven't thought about it since the whole thing was revealed to me, but the fifty-fifty thing has me on edge a bit.

"I don't know. I mean I like being me, and being turned would change me. I think. I mean I would still be me, but I would be a different me. Right? And there isn't a one hundred percent chance that it would work, I couldn't leave my dad like that. I'm all he has, and he is, was all I had. It's just been the two of us for so long, I couldn't do something so selfish."

"And that is one reason why you are defiantly part of this pack. It doesn't matter how you smell or who your mom is, you are an amazing person and if Derek can't see that, well then too bad for him."

"Thanks Erica." We hug again. "So are you staying the night or do you have to get home?"

"Oh I am totally staying. Can't leave the pack human alone now can we? Who knows what trouble you'd run head first into with me."

"Hey I wouldn't-"

"You ran into a house with a wolf that wasn't in control when we all tried to get you to stay away."

"Okay fair point."

"Uh-huh." She goes over to my dresser and pulls out a t-shirt and changes in front of me. Modesty is not something she worries about. After she is changed we settle down into my bed and fall asleep."

The next morning when we wake up Laura drags me out for a run but we don't make it very far. Just to the clearing where the tree house is. When she stops I give her a questioning look and she starts to pace back and forth. It looks like she has something to say and starts a few times, but never finishes the thought. "Laura, what is it? Just spit it out already?"

"Stiles is your mate isn't he?"

"What?" How could she know? I have always been careful not to reveal that to them.

"What do you mean what? How could I not know? Derek, you care about him so much that he is your anchor for Gods' sake. The way you look at him when you think no one is paying attention, and the amount of time you spend here with him, a place you haven't shared with anyone. Come one Der, don't insult me."

"I don't, just, I-"

"Look, I don't want to push you into anything, but you have got to see how much he cares about you right? I mean the kid is practically a wolf himself. There isn't much that escapes his notice, and it won't be long until he figures out what he is to you. No matter how hard you try to hide it from the rest of us."

"Laura, you can't say anything."

"I won't but Der, you can't play with him. I know you wouldn't hurt him intentionally, but that's the thing. Often you can have the best of intentions and do the worst kind of damage. There is already so much on your shoulders as it is, and I don't want to add to it, but while he is strong he is fragile too. He cares so much about you that he is putting his own feelings aside to make sure that you are okay. And I love him for it. You haven't been in a good place for a long time. With him you have leveled out and almost gotten back to being the person that you were last year before everything went to hell in a hand basket. I know that you are different now, and that things won't be exactly like they were, but Der, Stiles is amazing and I don't want to see him get hurt."

"You don't think I know that? You don't think I am constantly thinking about how much he could mean to me? What he does mean to me? Laura, I am so out of my depth here I don't know what to do. Yes I was jealous of Danny, I want to be the one who makes him feel like no one else can. I want to be there for him through anything and everything. But I also love Kate. She has been there for me like no one else has until Stiles. I love her and I don't want to hurt her either. I don't know what I am going to do. Because every minute I spend with Stiles I feel like I am cheating on Kate, and when I am with Kate I feel like I should be with Stiles instead. You don't know what it's like to be torn in two different directions. I hate it. What do I do Laura? Tell me what to do."

"Der, I can't. It is something you have to do on your own. And as much as I care about Stiles, I care about you more. You're my little brother. I want you to be happy. I want you to make the choice that is best for you. And I will stand behind you no matter what that is. But you have to make a choice because if you pull the shit that you did this last month then things are going to go downhill fast. Stiles is too smart for his own good and he is going to figure out that something is off if you don't do something."

Laura steps forward and wraps her arms around my neck pulling me down a little so that I can rest my head in the crook of her neck and take in her scent, and my arms wind around her and hold her back. "I just wish that this was easy. Why does everything in my life have to be so hard?"

"Really? You're gonna play the pity me card? That is the Derek I know. Plus what are you complaining for. You found your Mate! That is exciting! The odds of finding them at all let alone so young, it is almost unheard of. Mom and Dad didn't find each other until they were in their late twenties. Peter only just found his two years ago. You are sixteen and you already know him. We should be having a party or something." She always knows what to say to make me feel better. But at the same time this is bittersweet.

"I know. I just wish that I could be better for him. Not so broken."

"You are far from broken Derek. You have looked death in the eye and come out the other side. The things you have been through, they aren't something that anyone our age, or of any age should have gone through. And if anyone understands that it is Stiles. He has been through a lot too for someone so young. But he doesn't let it bring him down. He keeps going, just like you do. You just handle it differently. But this last month you have been opening up more and more. He is good for you. Whether you get together or stay friends, he is so good for you. You just have to figure out what you want."

"How am I supposed to do that? Plus he said he's in love with someone. I can't stand in the way of that."

"You are so stupid sometimes, you know that right?"

"What?"

"Nothing. You'll figure it out on your own eventually. But just know that I'm here for you if you need me. Mom isn't the only one you can turn to you know."

"Yeah, it's just been a while since I let myself trust anyone."

"I know." She gives me a final squeeze and then pulls away. "Now how about we finish this run and get home. Mom will have dinner on soon."

* * *

Okay so some major feels here. I know not everything was explained properly, but this is where the characters lead me. Did i mention there was gonna be angst? if not, uh, Angst warning! Yeah gonna have quite a bit of that for a quite a few more chapters. just so ya'll know.

I know you guys all want Derek to break up with Kate right now, but he is, or at least thinks, that he is in love with her. They have been together for about five or six months at this point and at sixteen we don't always recognize the way we feel for being what it is. Plus I am trying to build a friendship between Derek and Stiles more, so that when they do get together it is more realistic. Plus I have some major plans for Kate and how she is handled. So bear with me.

Thank you for your on-going support, and please let me know what you think! I love to hear your feedback!


	7. Hands Held Tight

So first off I want to apologize for the last chapter I posted. After re-reading it I found many errors in it and I will have to edit it, hopefully soon. So if this chapter has any, I apologize for them as well. I don't have a beta so it is all done by me, so please forgive me. I don't always catch everything.

* * *

The next few weeks pass pretty smoothly. Well, as smoothly as they can now that I know the big Hale secret. Not much has changed really, I mean everything has changed, but really it's only that I know about it now. As March warms into April and April to May, things start to mellow out. I get more dirty looks from Lydia and Jackson now that Danny and I have broken up, but he doesn't seem angry or all that upset. We still talk every once in a while, but really we don't see too much of each other anymore.

As far as things between me and Derek go, it has gotten back to where we were before the fight that ended up in me finding out about their secret. And can I just say one more time for the record, uh, Werewolves. But really, our friendship has gotten back to the way it was. Well mostly. Now that I know I'm his anchor there is a bit more touching, mostly small things that would normally go unnoticed by most people, but not to me. Not by me because I am still irrevocably in love with him. That defiantly hasn't changed. But he does seem to be spending more time with Kate, which from what Erica says is about the same amount of time he was spending with her before I came to town. So really things are back to normal.

Except they totally aren't. The biggest reason behind this is the fact that we are spying in Kate. Who I know for a fact is lying about her last name. Apparently Derek has been led to believe that it's Reynolds. But there is no Kate Reynolds anywhere near Beacon Hills except for the ninety-two year old living two towns over. The house she is renting isn't being leased by a Kate, but that could mean that she is sub-leasing, or something else, I'm not sure which. Then there is the fact that the car she drives is a rental, I couldn't go much further in my research in that direction so that is a dead end. And while I haven't been able to watch her every day I have noticed that her 'work' takes her out of town every day. After having seen her I can see why Derek fell for her. She is beautiful and I am not sure I would be able to resist advances from her if I were so persuaded.

Also trying to stalk her without letting Derek know what we are doing is harder than I thought it might be. So the second research front I have been working on is how to hide my scent from those who are supernaturally inclined. But the internet is full of half-truths and lies. Trying to filter what is real and what is fake is not the easiest task, even with a werewolf's help. The few things we have tried mostly just made me smell like herbs and flowers for a few days. Luckily the lie about trying to come up with a cologne that is gentler on a wolf's nose is close enough to the truth that when asked the others don't become suspicious. I am tempted to ask Alan Deaton for help. He is the local vet, and apparently supernatural expert extraordinaire. Talia said something about him being their emissary, and while I am not quite sure of what that is, I know that it is an important 'human' role in the pack. While he may not do 'magic' as it were, he can do things that others can't. The only reason why I haven't gone to him already is that he would tell Talia, and Erica and I are not quite ready to involve her in this yet. There is still no proof pointing towards what we think she is actually doing.

Because Derek has gone back to spending a few nights a week with Kate it gives me some time to hang out with Laura and Erica more. Which quickly devolves into the three of us having movie marathons and eating way too much junk food. We do everything from Star Wars and Indiana Jones, The Brat Pack, and many of the hero movies that are coming out recently. Erica and I haven't told Laura what we are up to. She knows we are doing something but hasn't asked us. I don't think she wants to know and would like to pledge plausible deniability should we be found out.

Also I have slowly been opening up to them about my art, all three of them. After I showed them the portrait I drew of them that first day we all had a good laugh. I mean who knew I would draw something so prophetic. But the fact that I am sharing my art with someone again feels… good. They have even let me do some sketches of them in their wolf forms. I never really was one for character study or drawing models, but they make it fun. Usually it turns into goofing off, but I am starting to get serious about my art again.

When I'm not hanging out with the Pack and they aren't over at my place I am usually painting. Dad let me set up some stuff on the enclosed back porch and I start with a simple scene of the backyard. It comes out okay, but landscapes never really were my thing. I do better with people and living things. Something I can give a story to even if it's ridiculous. And lately I have been dreaming. I mean I dream normally, everyone does. But these dreams don't feel normal. My meaning of normal is so different now, so these dreams seem more than they appear.

Through all of them there is one recurring character. It's a girl, about my age. She is pretty but kind of plain at the same time. She seems familiar but I am sure that I have never met her before. So I start to paint her. Mostly in the random settings of my dreams, I do sketch her a few times, but those I tend to keep to myself. First of all because I am not sure if this is another prophetic thing or just me and my head doing something weird as it tends to do.

But Erica did ask me to do something for her in my free time. She wants a portrait of her and her parents done. She has a wallet photo of them before they were killed and I have slowly been working on remaking it into a larger scale piece. After finding out about all of this supernatural activity that is going on right under people's unsuspecting noses it has left a mark on the way I view the world. I mean I always knew that the human race is capable of great acts of good and evil, but I also thought that those great acts of evil held more merit. I mean at least in more modern times and with the advancement that we have made, I thought that killing people because of who they are is something we were beyond. I know that it isn't that way everywhere in the world, there are countries where you can be sentenced to death for being homosexual. It's illegal. To be yourself. That is insane! It also makes the effort of proving whether Kate is a Hunter or not even more important to me. If I can stop some unjust suffering than I will.

…

"Seriously, this is your guys' idea of fun?" I have to stop and catch my breath against a tree as the others race on. We have been out in the preserve for about two hours and between the on and off games of hide and seek there has been lots of running aimlessly.

They circle back and are barely even breaking a sweat. "Come on Stiles, gotta pace yourself if you wanna keep up with the wolves." Erica says letting some of her more lupine features shine through.

"The thing is." Pant, gasp, "I am." Slowly I slide down the tree to sit in the somewhat damp foliage so I can attempt to relax while we take this small break. I know it won't last long, but they will give me a few minutes.

"Okay, let's give him five minutes." Laura sits down against the tree next to me facing slightly away and Derek crouches in front of me to make sure I'm okay, his eyes glistening with concern.

Patting his arm I reassure him, "I'm okay big guy. Just not used to running like that. You'd think I'd be better than that with the runs we put in everyday, but I don't think I have ever run for like," I check my phone, "two hours straight." I can't help the laugh that comes out of me. Since they have started to share more about the wolfish side of them they have stopped holding back so much on the more physical aspects of themselves. That has the advantage that makes me push myself more than I am used to, but also the negative of pushing myself past my previous limits. Sometimes, most times, I can't keep up and we end up having to cut play time short because I get winded or just plain exhausted. Derek looks at me like he doesn't believe me. "Seriously dude, listen to my heart. I'm okay."

"Your heart is beating too fast to tell if you are lying, so I will just have to take your word for it." He smiles and rests a hand on my neck. The tension starts to leave my body and then I see the black lines racing up his arms.

"Hey, stop that." I beat his hand away with a bit of a flail. "No fair using your werewolfitude to do the pain sucky thing when I don't really need it. Plus you guys know I don't like you to be in pain, and I know the pain you are feeling so just, don't, okay." I know I started off in a more joking tone, but it tappers off to a more serious one at the end. I have told them I don't like it when they do that, especially when it's just because my muscles are sore from a run or something equally trivial.

"Stiles."

He always says my name like it is a threat and a warning with an edge of worry thrown in. "Don't 'Stiles' me. You know it doesn't work on me anyway."

"I know you don't like it, but we don't like to see you in pain either. _I_ don't like to see you in pain." His hand comes back up but doesn't start up with the werewolf mojo again so I let it stay.

I look into his eyes, and I fall a little bit more for him. "I know, but this is a good pain. It means I am doing things the right way and that I am going to get stronger for it. If I should happen to fall and twist my ankle or get caught up in a fit of clumsiness like I am prone to, then feel free to pain drain away, but let me have this, and spare you. I don't like to see you guys in pain either." Even though that goes for all of them, and fact that the girls are like five feet away from us, yeah somehow they moved off a bit to give us a moment, this seems to be a conversation between Derek and I alone.

And I know why Erica stepped away, but why did Laura? Does she know how I feel or is this just letting her brother talk to his anchor? Gah! Werewolves! Derek looks like he wants to say more but he just squeezes my neck and lets his hand drop then unhurriedly stands up. "Five minutes are up Stiles, time to get going." Laura knows just how to diffuse the awkward moment this time. My feelings for Derek really are getting to be an issue. If my heart weren't racing so hard from the running, they would most likely be able to pick up that I am more than happy to have Derek that close to me all the time. The spark I get when our skin makes contact is indescribable.

"Yeah, yeah. Pathetic human here. We all get it, thanks. Now, how about-"Laura cuts me off with a finger to her lips. The lighthearted tone is gone in an instant and all three wolves perk up and Derek scents the air.

"What are they doing out here now? It's still daylight." Laura's voice is tight, and before I know it Derek has me up on his back and we are running incredibly fast through the trees.

"Seriously, Hunters? Now?" What the hell! So now we are running for our lives. And it doesn't take long before I can hear the ATV's raging through the trees. "Are we even gonna make it?" Erica and Laura exchange a look with each other and it doesn't look promising.

"Not like this we won't."

"Derek, what does that mean?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Derek what is going on?"

"Stiles, do you trust me?" He turns his head back a bit to look at me.

"Always." He nods and some silent signal is sent between the three of them. Erica leaps ahead of us and when she comes down from the jump she is a lot furrier than she was before. Then I am being passes from Derek's back to Laura's arms and it is kind of awkward, mostly because I am taller and weigh a bit more than her and if our lives weren't in danger I might find the whole picture a bit funnier. Then Derek is the one shifting but he stays level with us.

"Ready Stiles, you are about to go for a ride." She winks at me and after I nod not really knowing what is going to happen, but I am gonna roll with it whatever it is.

She shifts me until I am straddling Derek's back and when she lets go I have to tuck my legs up and grab onto the fur around his neck. This is so not what I thought was gonna happen. But then Laura makes a jump and is shifting midair. She and Erica fall back to us and then turn and sprint off toward the Hunters. I don't want to give us away so I don't say anything, and I guess that is the plan. To get me out of there and have the girls distract the Hunters so we can get away. I don't like the plan, but there really isn't much I can do about now, so I just hold tight and lean with Derek when he moves. After what I judge to be ten minutes of running we come out at the Hale house, and now that I know we are somewhat safe I call out. "Talia!"

She must have heard us coming though, and is standing outside on the back deck waiting for us. Derek doesn't wait for her and takes us right inside before he lets me even think about getting off of his back. Even after I do, he is crowding me down on the floor and keeping himself curled around me. Talia walks in the door and has a somewhat worried look on her face. "What happened?"

"Hunters. We were running through the preserve and they heard those damn ATV's and we made a break for it. But we weren't going fast enough or something, and they all shifted. Derek got me out of there, but the girls turned and ran back toward them. I think they were gonna try and lead them off. I wanted to stop them, but there wasn't anything I could do." Derek whimpers at my side and nuzzles into the crook of my neck and I just reach up to scratch at the spot behind his ears.

"They did right. In their wolf forms they can move faster and are more agile. You were in danger so they made sure to get you to safety. That is our first priority."

"But the Hunters wouldn't hurt me. I'm human."

"That isn't always true. These Hunters seem to be the kind to shoot first ask questions later. The fact that you not only run with wolves but are part of a pack, well that is something they don't take to kindly too." I cannot believe that she made a pun in the middle of explaining something serious. But I guess Laura and Derek have to get their patented 'Hale sass' from somewhere.

"Still, I don't like that we left them out there." Derek and Talia's ears perk up at that and not three seconds later Laura and Erica are running in through the door and shifting themselves to lie next to where Derek has me trapped on the floor. "Or maybe not." I make sure to reach out and scratch both of them behind the ears in thanks then return my hands to Derek to keep up the soothing ministrations that he has come to like while in his wolf form.

"They know how to evade Hunters while keeping them busy. We are a strong pack Stiles. Never doubt that." She has a smile on her face, but I can see the worry in her eyes.

"Why are the Hunters getting so brazen? I mean I thought they only go out at night? What are they doing out now, it's like the middle of the afternoon, not even close to dark yet."

"I'm not sure, but if this goes too much further, I may need to meet with their leader. They haven't acted like this in decades. I thought we had a treaty, but they are starting to break it right and left. If they are left unchecked for too much longer I fear they will go to even greater lengths than they are now."

She doesn't say anything more, and even though I have more questions, I let the subject drop. Erica and I need to crack down and figure out if Kate is a Hunter or not. Now it could mean the difference between life and death.

Stiles' heart is still racing even after we get into the house. As soon as we caught the Hunters in our senses the first thing I thought about was getting him out of there. I knew the girls would be able to handle a small distraction letting us get away, and not get caught themselves. I myself am even too jittery after that close encounter, and I don't know that I will be able to make the shift back to human just yet. It's easier to seek comfort at a wolf, the physical boundaries are different that way. I'm sure that if I needed to, Stiles would have no problem of me wrapping myself around him, but as a wolf it is less awkward for both of us.

"Come on Sourwolf, we should probably get you guys some clothes to change into. At this rate you are gonna shred through all of yours." Mom laughs at the nick name. It isn't the first time she has heard it, but everyone knows that only Stiles can get away with calling me that. But I don't want to get up and I really don't want Stiles to get up. So I huff at him. It's petulant and childish, but I don't really care right now. "Oh come one. Catwoman and Xena need my help." Laura cocks her head at the name and Stiles looks back in fondness. "Oh come on, you can totally be my warrior princess." He finished with a wink and Laura leaps up to lick his face in appreciation. I guess she got a good one just like he promised.

Against my will Stiles stands up and starts heading for the stairs. I don't let him get very far before I am at his side again brushing against his legs as we walk. Erica and Laura race ahead nudging into me as they pass. Normally I would be with them in the rambunctious behavior but right now all I can do is stay near my Mate and let him keep me from letting the animalistic instincts take over again.

He opens the door to Erica's room and then walks down the hall to Laura's and lets them both in so they can get changed. Then he moves to my door and goes to step away but I tug at his pant leg with my teeth and let out a low whine. He looks down at me with concern in his eyes. "Not ready to shift back yet?" Another whine. "Okay, let's go downstairs and start a movie. Hope you like Sixteen Candles. We were in the middle of a Molly Ringwald marathon last night."

We set up on the couch in the family room and Stiles lets me crawl up and place my head in his lap. Just like every other time we are in this position his hand drifts down and starts scratching behind my ears. Normally I would feel a bit patronized by this action, but from Stiles I know he only means it as a comfort.

It doesn't take long for Laura and Erica to take up their own spots on the floor in front of us with a bowl of popcorn and a few sodas for them to share. "Do you think your dad will let you spend the night?" Erica asks lazily as the opening credits start.

"He's never had a problem with it before. Besides if I'm not home then he thinks he can cheat on his diet and get take out from the Chinese place on fifth. But since I know that's exactly what will happen, tomorrow he will be eating a salad for dinner with a vinaigrette dressing rather than his usual French. Too bad for him." The girls laugh and I just nuzzle my way closer to his stomach. It is so easy in this form to stay close to him. I only wish I could do this all the time.

This form also gives me time to think about the things that have been happening in the last few months. The others know when I stay like this not to bother me too much. Things with Kate have been great. Really. Actually they have been kind of, I don't know, off? I mean she is still supportive and amazing, but our relationship has hit a standstill. Kate wants to go further, but I keep holding off. The most we get up to is some pretty heavy make out sessions with a little under the clothes groping. Every time she goes to remove my shirt or hers I stop her and we just keep kissing. She is starting to get frustrated and isn't being very subtle about it. I can't really blame her. I mean we have been going out for about six months now and we still aren't getting anywhere really.

I want to say I don't know what it is that is holding me back, but I do. I know that it's Stiles. Every time we get going and things start to go too far I think about how Stiles said he didn't like that she and I were together, that it was illegal and I know it is. I know that our relationship isn't what someone my age should be wanting, or someone her age. I mean, shouldn't she want to find someone who wants to get serious? Not that I'm not serious, just I don't know that I am ready for that kind of commitment with her. And that's the thing. I am pretty sure I would be ready for that kind of commitment with Stiles. I think I need to break up with Kate, I just don't know how to.

We get through a two movies before it is almost curfew for me, so I excuse myself and walk out onto the porch to call my dad. Derek has been silent all night, tranquil. I can tell he is thinking about something but I don't know what. "Hey kiddo, what's up?"

"Would you mind if I spent the night at the Hale's?"

"No, I guess not. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, just had a rough day over here, and we could all use some time to unwind. You sure you don't mind?"

"No, I don't. I'm glad you made some good friends. I was worried there for a while that I would have to force you into the world kicking and screaming."

"Ha, ha dad."

"No but seriously, I'm glad that you have people your own age to talk to. I know things haven't been easy the last few years-"

"Dad! You did the best you could under the circumstances. We both did. But I am glad that you moved us out here and made me go to actual high school."

"Good. Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yeah, dad. Tomorrow. Love you."

"Love you too, son." We hang up and I stay outside on the porch afterwards. I hate that I can't tell dad the whole truth about why I am needed here, and I know why I can't, it just makes things hard. I haven't kept secrets from him, he always knew what was going on with me. Usually because I can't keep my big mouth shut, but I never felt that I had to hide things from him. My parents were always open with me and told me the truth, even when mom got sick. They never lied to me, and while I have yet to tell an actual lie to him, I have lied by omission. And that's a pretty terrible feeling. I am sure that if I asked Talia she would let me tell him, but at the same time with all these Hunters around, I don't think I want him brought in on it. I want to keep him safe, and I think that means keeping him out of all this.

Erica plops down next to me and takes my phone out of my hand and starts typing in a new message. I just stare at her until she hands my phone back message unsent. 'I think I smelled Kate out there today. It was weak, and there were other scents layered on top of it, but I am pretty sure she was there'

And really what do I say to that? Well nothing because we don't want to be overheard, so I type back, 'Wow' she just nods her head and I continue. 'we really need to get on this. No more stalling. We need this solved now.' She nods her head and takes my phone back.

'tomorrow.' I nod and we head back inside talking about what movie we want to watch next. Derek is sitting where I left him, but there is an air of impatience around him. I know that while he is fully shifted the animal is closer to the surface, and that usually means that he is less reserved in his actions. He is usually a bit more playful too. But after today, he is tense and doesn't want me out of his sight. I get it, I don't want them out of mine either. I want to protect them as much as I can from anything that would want to hurt them.

We watch a few more movies and end up falling asleep in the family room. The girls on the floor and Derek on top of me on the sofa. When we wake up Derek is a lot less furry, still laying on top of me, but at least there is a blanket thrown over us to cover him up. I am not sure I could handle seeing Derek naked and control the frantic beating of my heart or hide the effects he has on me. And while the attraction may have been initially his looks, and his looks are absurdly incredible, it is really his personality that I fell for. His heart is always in the right place even if it puts him off of strangers, he is sarcastic enough to keep up with me when I get going and can match Erica and Laura at the best of times, but really it is his openness that catches my breath. He shares things with me that I know he doesn't tell anyone else. Like the fact that he wants to go to college to become a history teacher and that after a few years of teaching he wants to get his masters and doctorate and actually write a book or two. He told me all about Paige and how she was his first everything. First crush, first love, and first lover. He didn't go into details, thank god, but he isn't shy when I want to know things. To be fair I asked if he was a virgin and when he asked me I had to blush as admit that I was.

I don't know what it is about him, but I can't lie to him. I can only be myself, no matter how embarrassing that is. When he asks me things about my mom I am elated that I can share her with someone else who I know will want to hear every last thing I say. He once asked me about her favorite food, and I turned it into an hour long rant about how to make the perfect homemade pizza and what toppings have to adorn it, simply because she always put the same things on it. It is so easy with him and I don't know what to do about this crush I have on him.

Erica is the next one awake and she can't help but take a picture with her phone quietly laughing in amusement. She knows how bad this is for me, but she can't be bothered to do anything about it but poke fun at my misery. All I can really do is glare at her because Derek has my arms trapped to my sides in a giant all-encompassing hug, but the glare says it all and she just laughs some more walking off to the kitchen. Laura gets up next and while she doesn't laugh outwardly she does raise her eyebrows in my direction with a small Hale smirk on her lips. Then she too is off to the kitchen leaving me and Derek alone in the family room. It's a Sunday so we don't really have anywhere to be, but it doesn't take long before there are footsteps thudding down the stairs and Cora is bursting into the room and jumps up on top of Derek's lower half causing him to wake up.

"Cora!"

"It's time to get up Derek! I want to watch cartoons, and you are hogging the couch." Derek sighs and I have to stifle the giggle that wants to spring up in my throat.

He turns and grabs her sides then throws them both to the floor to wrestle playfully. They are both having fun and it finally gives me a way to escape the room so that I can readjust myself in my pants before walking into the kitchen straight to the fridge for some juice. I can feel Erica's and Laura's eyes on me and I refuse to meet either of them. Derek walks in a few minutes later and starts to make one of his regular morning protein shakes. I can't stand them but for some reason he loves 'em. I would like them a lot better if he left out the kale, spinach, and protein powder, just leaving the strawberries, bananas, and pineapple.

"So what do you have planned today Stiles?"

Laura asks with a nonchalance, but that almost always means there is a double meaning there. "Not much, dad expects me home, and I do have some homework to finish up. Plus a few projects that I am working on that I want to get further in." Lying to werewolves is hard business. You have to sell just enough truth and twist the meaning of your words to not let the lie gleam through. I practiced with Erica quite a bit to get it down pat.

"Sounds boring."

"Meh. Could turn around, depends how everything comes out. What about you guys?"

"Not much for us. Probably have some chores to finish up around here. I don't think mom wants us to be out too much today. Not after what happened yesterday." I nod in assent.

"Yeah, I don't need you guys getting hurt when I'm not there to fix your wounds."

"Ha. Ha. You just worry about keeping yourself out of trouble."

"Trouble tends to find me."

"Or you stumble into it head first."

I just roll my eyes at her quip. "Whatever. I think I'm gonna go. No need to stay around here if I am gonna get treated like this." My tone is mocking, but there is still a small look of hurt that flashes across Derek's face. I can't leave him like that so I go over and wrap him in a hug. "Don't worry big guy. If you need to, just text me later, kay?"

He nods and looks better when I pull away. On my way out I fist bump Laura and nod to Erica. I know it won't be long till she is knocking on my window so we can start up our round of surveillance tonight. Cora races towards me before I can make it out the door and digs her nose into my stomach sniffing me there before shooting away to go back to whatever cartoon she was watching. As I start to get my bike off the porch the door opens and Talia walks out with a concerned look on her face.

"Stiles, a word." She starts to walk with me down the driveway. I am guessing that she didn't want the others to overhear our conversation.

"Sure, what's up?"

"I know that you and Erica are up to something, and before you say anything, while I may not approve of you two trying to solve problems without the help of an adult I want you to know that I am thankful that you are."

I hang my head in shame. "Sorry, we just don't want to have anyone jump to any conclusions before we have proof." She is silent a bit longer and I don't know that I can't not tell her. Before I know it my mouth is running away from me. "We are worried about Derek's girlfriend. I don't know how much he has said about her, but we don't think that she is up to any good. We don't know anything for sure yet, and that is what we are trying to figure out. The second we gained any proof of our suspicions we were, are, going to go straight to you to let you know. I haven't met her yet, but from what I have seen, I don't trust her. Please don't tell him what we are doing, if it turns out she is harmless, I don't want him to know what we did. I just need him to be happy and safe and wow, I should really stop talking now."

She has a small warm smile gracing her face as my rambling continues. "Stiles, breathe. I won't tell him what you are up to, but I also am worried that the two of you are getting in over your heads. You are too young to be dealing with this, if anything it should be Sam or I that are looking into this."

"With all due respect Talia, Erica and I have been through things that most teens our age won't experience till much later in their life if ever. While we might be young in years, we are not kids. The things we have been through have aged us prematurely. Derek too. And that is why we are doing this for him. We want to spare him any more pain that this woman might cause. I promise that we are being extra careful, and we will inform you if anything we find out should be too much for us to handle."

She looks at me with sad eyes, and I know it's because what I've said is true. We have grown up faster than others our age. We know more about how the world works and that it isn't always a kind place to be. "While I am still not happy with it, I will allow you to continue. Just be careful Stiles. These Hunters are playing by different rules than the ones we are accustomed too. They are unpredictable and somewhat unstable. It won't take much for them to tip over the edge. Keep your phone with you always, and have a few back up plans for everything. They got you out of a tight situation yesterday, but that may not always be the case. Take this." She holds out her hand and in it is a small purple flower. "If one of the wolves get shot, grind this in your palm then light it on fire. Push the ash into the bullet wound, and it should take care of the poison. This is a strong brand of wolfsbane so it should counter most of the kinds the Hunters use."

I nod, "Thank you for your trust. It means a lot to me."

"You really are so much like your mother. She would have been very proud of you Stiles." With a light kiss to my forehead she makes her way back up the driveway to the house, and after coming back to myself I hop on my bike and go home.

* * *

Derek is finally coming around. Bout time right? lol And hopefully next chapter I will have an actual stake out for Stiles and Erica to do. I meant to put it in at the end of this chapter, but then Talia happened, and well, yeah. These characters like to pick me up and run away with me. So when they get an idea in their head, I have to follow it through. Not all of this is going to the way I planned it, but I am liking the outcome all the same.

Please let me know what you think, Love to hear what you have to say whether it be specific or vague, lay it on me!


	8. The Water's Cool

The whole ride home my conversation with Talia plays through my mind and I am somewhat shocked that she didn't try to stop us, and gave us her blessing to continue. I feel like there is something that I am not being told, but I have no clue what it could be. I only know as much about werewolves as the others have told me. I don't think that they are hiding things from me on purpose, and I know that they have to be careful of who they tell things to. They trust me, I don't doubt that, but there is also a level of information that I really don't need to know, just want to. There isn't really any way for me to get new information and know that it is one hundred percent true. Talia has a library filled with old books that I am sure are brimming with information, but I don't know how to go about asking. Also since I am not a wolf, I don't know that asking her would make her any more forthcoming.

So when I get home, I do get started on some of the homework I had building up. Dad greets me and we end up having lunch together. "So how are the Hales doing?"

"Not bad. Same old same old."

"What happened yesterday?"

Oh yeah, I said that it was a tense day. Damn. I don't want to lie to my dad, but I can't tell him the real reason either. "Well we were talking about their Uncle and his departure last year was fast, and he hasn't been home since. It is still a sore subject for them and we just needed to time afterwards to chill and hang out." Not the truth, but the whole uncle thing is true.

"That was good of you kid. I'm glad that you have friends. I know that these last few years have been hard, and I am not always the most agreeable person, but you are shaping up into one hell of a man."

"Dad-"

"No, I mean it. You are loyal to a fault son, and I'm just happy that you managed to find friends that aren't taking advantage of that. I'm proud of you son." He pulls me into a rare Stilinski hug and I grab him back just as tightly. They don't happen that often, so I always soak them up when they do. "Your mother would be proud of you too." His breath hitches a bit at the mention of her. He talks about her even less than the hugs happen, so it's nice to hear something about her from him. Maybe he's ready to hear about Talia.

"Thanks Dad, she'd be proud of you too." I take a deep breath and then delve into what I have been keeping from him. "So a while ago I looked through the yearbooks at school, and found mom in them. I saw a picture of her with Talia Hale. I guess they were like best friends growing up. She had a few stories that I think you might like to hear. If you want to."

"Son…" He starts to pull away, but I hold tight and keep my head buried in his shoulder not able to look him in the face.

"I know it's hard for you dad, but after I heard them it made me feel closer to her. To know more about her before you two met. If you want I can go with you and I just, I mean, we moved to get close to her again right? What better way than to get to know her old friends?"

He is silent for a while, but doesn't pull away from my embrace. His shoulders stay tense and then seem to slump in defeat. "That…would be nice. You sure Talia wouldn't mind?"

Now I can pull back from him. "No, I've already talked to her, and she said that she would be more than happy to talk to us any time we wanted. I know you are busy at the station, but maybe on one of your days off we can go over, and I can cook. I'll even let you have steak. And mashed potatoes with real butter."

That is when I know I have him. Food is one of my dad's weaknesses, and since I don't let him have tons of red meat to begin with, he will definitely want to go. "Twist my arm why don't you." We both laugh and then clean up our lunch dishes before he goes back to the living room to watch some game on TV and I go back upstairs to work on my homework.

When I get there, Erica is already sprawled on my bed. It looks like she has been waiting for a bit, and she probably heard the whole conversation that just happened. A guilty look graces her face and starts to apologize right away. "Sorry, I didn't want to interrupt you and your dad, and I didn't know what you were talking about until it was too late. I didn't mean to intrude."

I wave her off. "It's okay. It's just hard for him to talk about her. He took her death really hard, and I don't think he will ever really get over it. He still wears his wedding ring, and keeps hers in one of her old jewelry boxes in his room."

She doesn't say anything for a minute and I sit on my chair at my desk. A few minutes pass and I start to fidget. "Sorry for that awkward silence. So moving on, _Kate._" The way she bites out her name is similar to every other time, and I can't really blame her. I am not a fan of this woman, but I also think some of that has to do with my own jealousy.

"Yes, _Kate_. We should probably stake her out tonight. After yesterday and the failed attempt on you guys a few weeks ago, I think they are going to be a bit angry. Probably meet up to have a good love fest about their hate for your furry guts." This gets a good laugh out of her, which is entirely what I was going for. We need to be careful, but at the same time we need to smart about how we do this. "Did you get use of the car?"

"Yeah, I told them I wanted to hang out with my man, and so they all think I am going out with Boyd. Little do they know, you are my man. My Batman." She winks and laughs at her own little joke.

"Ha, ha. So funny. Maybe you should stick to what you do best."

"What, look sexy as hell, and turn every straight man's head." I roll my eyes.

"Yeah that. Let me bring the humor. But seriously, we need to stake her out so why don't you jump back out my window and come to the door like a normal person so we can get this thing rollin'."

She heaves a fake sigh, but does as asked. It takes all of two minutes before Dad is yelling up the stairs that I have a visitor. I grab my bag with a few things to help with the surveillance. When I get downstairs, dad looks at me questioningly. "Going somewhere?"

"Uh, yeah. Erica texted me earlier and asked if I could help her with that project we have in our History class. Remember I told you about it last week." This is in fact the truth, even though we won't be working on the project, it is something that we are paired up for.

He has a raised eyebrow and says nothing, but I can tell that we will be talking about this later. I don't know exactly what _this,_ is. I mean I have been hanging out with Erica a lot lately, but that is not a big deal. Dad knows that I'm gay, so there is no hanky-panky going on. So I give him a raised eyebrow of my own and go out to the car where Erica is already waiting for me. Then we go to the gas station and grab some snacks and other things that we will need for a long afternoon/night of staking out.

When we get to Kate's house, Erica is surprised. "What is it?"

"Derek's here."

"Okay, not that strange." I don't know what is so weird about this. It wouldn't be the first time we have encountered this before.

"Yeah, but…" She breaks off and cocks her head like all the wolves do when they are listening to something that is outside a human's range of hearing. "Wow."

"What? What's going on? You know I can't hear anything."

"Uh, he just broke up with her." What!

After Stiles leaves and mom comes back in the house, we finish up the chores that each of us are assigned. Then I head up to my room and start to pick things up and straighten things out, all while thinking of how I am going to end things with Kate. I know that this is what I have to do. I can't be with her anymore. I mean I am still in love with her, but I love Stiles more. And even if I can't be with him, I can't be with Kate anymore. It isn't fair to her or to me. So with my mind made up I head downstairs to get the car only to find out that Erica took it to meet up with Boyd. But this itch under my skin won't stop. I have to do this now. So even though I know I shouldn't and that mom will know I left, I quietly make my way out of the house and go for my bike to ride over to Kate's house. It's midafternoon by the time I get there and as I am knocking on the door that I realize I probably should have called or texted that I was coming over. I am anxious and my palms are sweating. She is gonna be hurt and I know that I can't tell her everything but I have to do this so I take a deep breath as she opens the door and give her a half smile.

"Derek? What are you doing here? We didn't have something planned today did we?"

"No, I just needed to talk to you. Could, could I come inside?" She moves away from the door and lets me in. The house that she is renting is small, and the furniture is somewhat cramped but I always thought it was a bit cozy. She follows me into the room, turns off the television, and takes her place on the couch were she must have been before I interrupted her. I have too much nervous energy to sit down, so I start to pace in the small walk space between the TV and the coffee table.

"What's up sweetie? You look like you're about to have an aneurism." There is lilt of laughter in her voice while her heart rate picks up. There is no nervous energy in the room except from me, so I really can't tell how she is feeling.

"I really don't know how to say this. I mean, I thought I could just say it, but now that I'm here, I don't know how to get it out." She stands and goes to the small eat in kitchen and comes back with a bottle of water. When I take it she lets her fingers brush against mine and I pull back quickly while looking down not meeting her gaze.

"Derek, whatever it is, you can tell me. I'm sure it's not as bad as you might think it is. I have been half expecting this for a while now actually."

"You've what? How could you know that I'm trying to break up with you? I didn't even know that I was going to until today." Not the way I wanted that to come out. I really have been hanging around Stiles too much. But the look on her face and the sudden spike of surprise and anger tells me that is not what she thought I was going to say."

"You're what?"

"I'm so sorry Kate. I really don't want to, I mean I think I'm in love with you, but I'm kind of in love with someone else too. And it isn't fair to you or to me to keep this going. Not when I am thinking about them and not about you. I don't want to hurt you, I just don't know what to do here."

Her face falls into a calm mask, but I can still feel the anger coming off of her. "Sweetie, you don't have to break up with me. I get it. You're young, it happens. But I won't hold it against you."

"Kate, I can't do it anymore. I am so messed up in my head about this, and I have been trying to straighten it out, but it just keeps getting more and more muddled. I'm not going to be with them either. I need to get my head around it, and maybe after that we can get back together, but for now I need time." She starts to step forward, probably to hug me or kiss me or something, but I can't do it, so I take a step back. "I'm sorry Kate. I'm really sorry." She doesn't say anything but I can feel the anger and tension that is rolling off of her in waves. Quickly, to evade any more pain or awkwardness, I make my way outside and hop on my bike. I want to go to Stiles and tell him what I just did, but as soon as I pull out my phone a text comes in from mom telling me to get back to the house now. I guess my disappearance didn't go unnoticed. It isn't until I get home that I shoot Stiles a text asking him to come over after school tomorrow so we can talk.

"He what?"

"He is in there right now breaking up with her. I mean, he is doing it. Right now."

"Okay, this is good right? I mean he won't be with her anymore."

"Yeah, but I have a bad feeling. I mean she was with him for a reason right? So if he is ruining her plans by doing this, then maybe we can actually find something out."

"Yeah. Yeah." I am suddenly so happy, but also a little afraid. Then it hits me. "Uh, who do you think he is gonna talk to about this. I mean this couldn't have come out of left field or anything, right? So who do you think he is gonna wanna talk to after he leaves?" I am nervous to hear her answer.

"Damn, he's gonna go to you." That's what I thought. I really want to be there for him too. But this is important too, and I can't leave Erica to do it alone.

"Text Talia and tell her that we are on the verge of a break through and she needs to keep Derek home all night." She looks at me strangely. "Don't ask now, I'll explain later. Text, come on, before he comes out." She pulls out her phone and sends the text. Then she pulls away from the curb and down the street a bit so that we are not in front of Kate's house but are on the end of the street opposite of the way Derek will go. I don't think we will have to worry about him catching our scent because he will probably be a bit too raw when he comes out.

True enough, when he exits the front door he gets his bike, checks his phone and rides off. We pull back up in front of the house and cut the engine so that Erica can hear what is going on inside. "She sounds like she's talking to herself. Something about stupid teenagers and plans being ruined. Wow. That is some creative swearing. Now she's calling someone." It takes a few more seconds before her commentary continues. "They are using some kind of code, it's kind of shit. But she is gonna leave, and meet up with someone somewhere."

"Okay, this is what we have been waiting for right? So now we just have to follow her right?"

"Yeah, I think." We duck in our seats as Kate exits the house and gets into her car. The whole time she is slamming doors and obviously not in a good mood. I mean if I was broken up with I might be a bit fowl tempered too, but really, how far did she really see this relationship going?

So as stealthily as we can, we follow her while trying to keep a good distance between us so as to not raise her suspicions. "Okay, so what was that about telling Talia?"

"Oh, she kinda confronted me when I was leaving today and said that she knew we were up to something. She said that she wouldn't stop us, but to be careful, so now that we know that she knows, I used that to my advantage to keep Derek home while we do this. I will totally be there for him tomorrow." It is as I am saying this that I get a text from him.

'hey, so I know you were just here last night and this morning, but was wondering if you could come over tomorrowafter school. I have some major news, and I kinda need a friend right now.'

A pang of sympathy runs through me and I want to rush to him right now, but I can't so I send him back a message of my own. 'sure sourwolf. Good news or bad news? Everything okay?'

'good I think. And yeah. See you at school.'

'see ya.'

"I feel so guilty right now. I know and he doesn't know I know, and I hate lying to him. It's bad enough that I am lying to my dad about this."

"I know, but it's all for the good of the pack. I know you like him, but maybe now he can get his head out of his ass and see that he totally is in love with you too."

"Erica, you know he isn't. We're just friends. That's all we will ever be."

"Just keep telling yourself that. Maybe one day I'll be believe it." We drop off into silence after that, and we stick close to Kate's car. Eventually she leads us to the somewhat abandoned warehouse district of town. There used to be a few big factories in Beacon Hills, but many of them went out of business and a few others went bankrupt a few years ago. So there are a lot of empty buildings in this part of town. When Kate stops, she parks close to a few other cars, none of them I recognize, and she gets out and goes inside one of the smaller buildings. Erica parks a block away and we get out and quietly make our way to the cars. I nod for Erica to go to the building to see if she can overhear anything while I start jotting down the license plates of the other cars that are here. After I have them, I meet up with Erica who is standing under a window that is about two stories up. She raises a finger to tell me to be quiet and keeps listening to a conversation that I can't hear.

After about five minutes her eyes widen and she grabs my arm in a vice like grip and hauls us out of there and to the car. I can tell that she is somewhat shaken so I don't ask her what she overheard until we are almost back to my house. "Okay Erica, you gotta tell me what you heard."

"She's… she's an Argent. They said something about a plan, but as soon as I heard that she was an Argent I got us out of there. No way are we able to stand up to them on our own. And from what it sounded like whatever the plan was, it is bad. But now that she isn't with Derek anymore, things should settle, and their plans are ruined."

"Okay, we need to tell Talia."

"NO!"

"Why not? I said when we found out what was going on we would."

"She can't know. Derek can't know. It would destroy him. He already feels so guilty about what happened with Paige, and he is only just now moving on with his life. We can't tell him that Kate is a Hunter, much less an Argent."

"Erica-" I kinda feel like I am being manipulated, but there really isn't much I can do about it. Not right now anyway.

"Stiles. Trust me. We can't tell them. Promise me you won't tell them. We don't have to stake out anymore, so we are just going to forget that this happened."

"What about Talia? She thinks we were on to something, what do we tell her?"

"I don't know. I'll come up with something."

"I don't think I can lie to her. I mean bending the truth is hard enough, I don't think I can get away with it." No, I know I can't get away with it.

"Don't worry about. I'll take care of it. Now you just get inside and forget what we heard. Okay?"

I nod to her and watch her drive off, but there is no way I am gonna be able to forget what I know now. And for some reason I don't think that Kate is just going to let things go. If anything I think this is going to spring her into action even faster than she anticipated. I just hope I am able to work out her plans before anything terrible happens.

After I say hi to dad when I get home I run up to my room and get on my computer to use the DMV access that my dad has and put in the license plates I wrote down. One of them belongs to a Gerard Argent, he's older, probably Kate's father or something like that, and the other is a name that doesn't stand out to me but feels familiar. I will have to sit and think about that one for a while. I know that Erica wants to drop this, but I can't. I still have this terrible feeling in my gut and I feel like if I don't follow through with it, then I will regret it later. So as soon as I hear my dad snoring from the other room I start doing something that is pretty illegal.

When Danny and I were still going out he taught me a few tricks that go him in trouble when he was younger. I never thought that I would have to put them into practice. But I learned them anyway, like I learned how to pic a lock right after mom died, and how to drive at the age of fourteen. Skills that kids my age shouldn't possess. Danny got in trouble for cyber stalking. He knew how to hack into accounts and websites, also how to tamper with a cell phone.

So I went out and bought a simple prepaid phone that I can ditch if I need to. The hard part is linking Kate's phone and the prepaid one. By some miracle I get it to work. Now when she receives a text or a call, so will I. Calls I won't be able to listen in on unless I see her answer, but I can read all the text messages I like. I can also see all the ones she sends out. I didn't want to do this until we had figured out if she was a Hunter or not so as to not invade her privacy, but now I could care less about that. All I want is for my pack to be safe and out of danger.

…

The next day Derek's mood switches between melancholic and slightly grumpy. Laura looks like she knows what went down and sends him comforting looks, Erica tries to hide the guilty look on her face, while I school my emotions and just throw an arm over his shoulder and pull him into a one sided hug. After that he seems to lighten up a bit and finishes the day in a somewhat brighter mood.

I go home with them after school and Derek takes me to his mother's office and closes the door. Apparently it is the only room in the house that is sound proofed, so we can talk without being overheard. "So what did you have to tell me?"

"Uh, well, I…" I let him have a moment to think about how he wants to tell me. Sometimes his silences mean different things, but this one I can tell is contemplation. He takes a deep breath and then looks down at the floor. "I broke up with Kate last night."

I was sitting across from him, but after that I move to the couch next to him and wrap both my arms around him. "Dude."

"No, it's a good thing. I think. I mean I have feelings for someone else and I couldn't stay with her anymore. It wasn't fair to either of us." That part hits me like a punch to the chest. Derek likes someone else. That's why he broke up with Kate. Who is it? I mean I want him happy, I just wish that it could be with me. "But I don't think they like me back. And I can't be with her while I am constantly thinking about them. So I had to end it."

I pull back from the hug a bit so I can look him in the eyes. "Well they would be stupid not to like you back. I mean, you are a catch." I emphasize that with a cheesy wink and it puts a smile on his face so I feel like I succeeded. "How did she take it? I mean you guys were kinda serious, weren't you?"

"Yeah, I guess we were, I mean, we never…" He cuts himself off and blushes a bit, but I get the meaning, "but I mean I think I love her. She was kind of stunned. I think she thought I was going to tell her something else. It kind of took her off guard a bit."

"Well…" There are a few things I want to say and none of them are nice. I think Derek can sense that too.

"I know you don't like her."

"Well that may be true, but she made you happy, and if that is who you want to be with then I would try to like her. I just think that you should find someone closer to our age for now. I mean in a few years age won't matter, but we are still in high school and she is like ten years older than you. It is a little weird. Sorry. I won't talk about this. You are trying to tell a friend and I am going to be supportive. So, do you want to skip homework and grab a gallon of ice cream out of the freezer and watch the worst action movie of all time?"

He laughs and pulls me back in for a quick hug. "Thanks." I know that the thanks means more than just a thank you. It is a thank you for not talking about her, for not going in depth about how wrong their relationship was, about not saying a word and just moving on. Sometimes it's scary how well I seem to know him. "And we should definitely get started on our homework. Mr. Harris seems to be even douchier than normal. Did you know he comes in reeking like alcohol?"

"What? He does not!"

"Oh, he does." Derek taps his nose twice. "Never drunk, but almost always hung over. The smell permeates his skin."

We get up and start heading up to his room to start our work. "Dude, that explains so much. I mean he always seems to be grumpy, even more than you did that first day I met you." I graze my knuckles across his head and then make a break for it. He makes a noise of discontent and then catches up to me in a few strides hauling me over his shoulder and fireman carrying me to his room while poking and pinching my sides. I give a halfhearted struggle but I got him laughing again, so it is well worth the small humiliation.

Once we are there we get started on our homework and then after an hour of that we start watching a movie on my laptop. The laptop is on my lap and Derek wraps one of his arms around my waist as I settle back into him. The position is somewhat intimate, but I am not as nervous as I probably should be. Stopping myself from imagining the two of us like this is hard. I want us to be like this all the time without having the friendship wall between us. But I would rather have him in my life like this than not at all.

Talia calls us down for dinner and afterwards she takes me home. I give Derek one last hug before I go and let him latch onto me. He takes a small bit of comfort from me one last time and when he lets go I can tell that he is in a better place than he was this morning.

When I get home I look at the phone I linked to Kate's and it has a few texts on it. The only one that stands out says that the plan will be implemented starting tomorrow. I don't know what the plan is, but I know that it is going to be taking up a fair bit of my time.

* * *

So the break up happened! And now the boys are just gonna dance around each other for a bit. I know the angst is killing me too, but neither one of them think that the other likes them. Classic.

Also I can tell you that it is only gonna get worse before it gets better. So just hold out with me for a bit longer.

As always, thanks for the support, and please let me know what you think! Love to hear feedback from you guys!


	9. I Can Find What's True

I want to apologize to you guys, after going through and reading through some of these chapters on the site, i realized that not all the line breaks happened where they should be. This makes for a somewhat confusing read and I will pay closer attention from now on promise!

Now enjoy!

* * *

Not knowing what the 'plan' is I am left shaking somewhat. I need to figure out what is going to happen so I can stop it. So I get on my computer and start looking through Kate's phone history. Who she has talked to in the last few months and see if any names pop out at me. Most of the texts and calls are to Derek or Gerard. From the looks of the messages Gerard is definitely her father. I try to avoid the ones to and from Derek. I don't want to know what they have said to each other.

There are a few other names that I don't recognize. The first one is Garrison Myers. When I look him up I see that he is an insurance investigator. The question is, what does she need investigated? I mean she rents the house she lives in and the car she drives. What reason would she have talking to an insurance inspector. Not even an agent, but an inspector. It's pretty fishy and I don't like it. Just about as much as I don't like her, but I can't piece together the reason for it, so I move on to the next name.

Or names in this case. They are linked. Unger and Reddick. Their history has more to say then Myers. They have both been convicted and served time for theft and arson. Why is Kate talking to convicted felons? As I dig deeper into the history I can see that most of the texts are between Unger and Kate. There is some blatant flirting going on. Then as I go further I come across some texts that have lewd descriptions of acts promised by Kate for his help. What that help is, is never talked about. She is at least smart enough to not say that, but what disgusts me almost as much as some of the acts described is that she send them while she and Derek were 'dating'. I say that in quotations because my suspicions that she wasn't really in the relationship are confirmed.

What gets me the most is that she isn't even talking to Hunters. These people are just your everyday not so run of the mill people. Whatever she has planned is not going to be the typical actions of a Hunter. That scares me. The pack has told me of different ways that Hunter take out wolves. Wolfsbane bullets, wolfsbane tipped arrows, and for the select few severing the body in half. Very medieval and barbaric. They call the Werewolves the animals but really it's them that are the true animals.

Tomorrow is a school day so I will have to keep a close eye on the phone and wait to see what she is going to do while trying to keep the wolves off my back. The hardest one to fool will be Erica. She really wanted me to drop this, but I can't. I know that if I showed her the messages and the evidence I have gathered that she would help me again, but I think it might be best if I leave them out of this. They need to be safe and this is something that I can handle myself. Plus if I can get enough behind her legally then my dad can arrest her and she will be put behind bars for attempted murder. With as many people in the Hale family, that should be enough to send her away with no chance of getting out. And that should get enough notice to get the other Hunters to back off and leave. Or at least I hope so.

…

The next day Derek arrives at my house and we go for a run. But this time we are sticking to populated residential areas. We don't want to tempt the Hunters with a few shots at us, so being where others can see us is a good thing. If Derek can sense that I am not all with it, he doesn't say anything and for that I am grateful. I don't like lying to him and I know that if he asked me what was bothering me I wouldn't be able to keep it from him. Our conversation drifts to what our plans for the weekend are.

"Do you think your dad would let you spend the whole weekend at our place?"

"Uh, maybe, why?"

"Well we are kinda having this huge get together. A family reunion of sorts."

"How much family?"

"The whole pack will be there."

I am left speechless for a moment. "The whole pack?"

"Yeah, we only do this a few times a year because most of the kids have school and we are scattered all over the state. But mom wants you to meet everyone and to officially join the pack." What he says starts to run through my head and I am coming up with a few different scenarios in my head. He takes my brief silence as a no. "If you don't want to you don't have to come." He looks kind of sad.

I reach out a hand and stop us in the middle of the sidewalk. "Dude, I am so there. I'm sure that Dad won't have a problem with it."

"Are you sure?"

"Totally, no doubt. I want to be there. I've just got a few things on my mind, so I am little distracted sorry." I keep my hand on his shoulder and he relaxes into my touch. "Plus meeting everyone is kinda nerve wracking. I mean most of the adults would have known my mom right? So that will be cool, but also kinda weird." I really didn't think about that until the words left my mouth, and that only makes the feeling in my stomach make me feel a bit queasier.

He grabs me pulling me into a hug and lets his nose rest right in the crook of my neck scenting me and holding me tight. When he talks it is right into my skin and the feeling leaves goose bumps to spread over my body. "Stiles, it will be okay. If you don't want them to talk about her they won't. I promise."

Letting my hands move to hold him back I place my head in a similar position as him allowing some of my scent to rub off on him as well. "I know, but I want to. I told you, I miss her but hearing about her makes me happy. If they didn't talk about her I would be okay, but upset a little. I mean she was part of the pack before she was born. She grew up with them. I want to know what they have to share." He nods but doesn't move away for a few minutes. I let my eyes close and try not to think about how wonderful this moment would be if we were more than just friends. That if I wanted to I could kiss him and everything would be better for it. When he does finally pull back the caring and understanding is glistening in his eyes and I can't help but to give him a small kiss on the cheek. Immediately I blush and can't look at him, so I start to jog off not waiting for him to catch up.

As Stiles pulls away from the kiss I am struck dumb. I mean it was nothing. A simple peck in gratitude. That's all. But it's everything at the same time. He has never kissed the girls before. My hand reaches up and I start to rub the spot that is still tingling from his touch. Then my eyes start to follow him as he jogs away. He is about a block a head of me so I quickly catch up to him, but don't say anything. The smell of embarrassment is heavy around him, so I won't bring it up, but it gets me to thinking.

When he is hanging around us he only lets me get as close as I do. Laura tends to back off a bit because she knows that he is my Mate, but Erica still sits relatively close to him and he always backs off a bit when she gets too close. But with me, alone or otherwise, he is almost always by my side. We sit snuggled together watching movies, reading, or even just doing homework. He always sits beside me at lunch and we are almost always have physical contact when the two of us are together. Most of this is initiated by me, but there are many times when it is him who if the first one to reach a hand out or lean against me.

I start to pick through the varied scents that he is giving off and they are all familiar. His general scent of who he is, that smell of home that can't be broken down into specific things. With that is a musk of sweat and adrenaline set off from the run we are on. But under all that are a few other things that are somewhat surprising. His embarrassment is still there but is slowly dispersing as we make our way through the residential areas our run has taken us. Then there is something else that I know is his typical I-am-thinking-to-hard smell. But what hits me the hardest is the sharp scent of arousal, of lust, of… love. It is one that I am familiar with, I have sensed it before but never on him. And right now I am the only person around him. I am the only one that could be making him think those things. Unless he is thinking of someone else, but I don't think he is. He just kissed me and now he smells like this.

We get back to his house in silence, and we go about our regular routine. I take a shower, he makes us something to eat, then goes to shower himself. Normally we talk about whatever random stuff pops into either of our heads, but today we are both muted in our own thoughts. Does Stiles like me more than just a friend? Laura has hinted that there might be more, but it wasn't until now that I knew what she meant. If he does like me then how do I go about letting him know how I feel? Do I just tell him? The shower is still going so I grab my phone to call Laura.

"Hey Der, what's shakin'?'"

"Does Stiles like me?"

"Uh, yeah, you guys are like best friends. Of course he likes you." I sigh into the receiver and make sure to keep an ear out for him to make sure that he doesn't stumble in on my conversation.

"I mean does he _like me,_ like me? You know as more than friends."

"Duh? You are only just now figuring this out?"

"How was I supposed to know?"

"Well how about the fact that he makes goo-goo eyes at you, and his scent always has a layer of arousal around you. He lets you scent him to a ridiculous amount and drifts towards you over anyone else. So yes, you should have known. But then you are just as oblivious as he is. I was trying to stay out of it so you could both figure it out on your own. Kate was really stopping me, and now that you aren't together, there really isn't anything stopping you now is there?" I am silent for a minute and focused on Stiles heartbeat. I let it ground me and think things through. "Derek? You still there?"

"Yeah," my voice is hoarse and scratchy when I answer. "Yes. I just, I want to do this right. I don't want to push him or hurt him."

Laura's voice softens as she responds. "I know bro. And it would take an awful lot for you to do that."

"This weekend I will tell him." He talked to his dad and got permission to come over for the weekend. "He's coming over and meeting the rest of the pack, and I will ask him to officially join us. Mom wanted me to ask him as his Mate, but I think that is too much too fast. So I will ask as his friend, and then I will tell him how I feel about him."

"Sounds good bro! See you at school then." She sounds elated at my choice and hangs up. Suddenly there is a weight lifting off my chest and butterflies in my stomach. I am going to do this. I am going to be with my Mate. I don't think anything could make me feel less than happy right now.

…

School goes by quickly and Stiles and I go to the tree house to work on homework. Mom really didn't want us to, but I just needed more time with Stiles alone. When I have some music set up and playing I pull him to me on the small futon mattress we put up here a few weeks ago. We settle in together and start working on our Physics assignment. Normally I would be trying hard to focus on the work but now I am honed in his scent. Like this morning there is his general scent, along with the others and the subtle scent of attraction. It's presence puts a smile on my face and I can't help but to burry my nose in neck taking it all in.

It goes to say a lot that he just bares his neck to me and lets me take what I need from him without complaint. Really, I am stopping him from working and the scent of arousal only increases. "Derek, I'm all for wolfy snuggles, but we really should be working on our homework." His breath is coming out in low pants that would normally go unnoticed, but now that I am absorbed in him I am picking up all the little things I haven't seen before. I really don't have anything to say so I just give him a grunt in return. "Sourwolf, this is not very productive." Really now I am pushing him to see just how far this can go before he backs off. If he back off. A low rumble starts in my chest I know that he can feel it running through his body. His heartbeat is picking up in pace but keeps steady. Eventually he just sighs and closes the book in his lap and throws it to the floor along with his notebook and pencil. I turn him so he is on his back and I am curled up to his side resting my head in the crook of his neck and an arm wrapped around his waist.

He doesn't say anything, but wraps me in his arms just as tightly as I have him in mine. This is the first time I have really snuggled with him like his[this] in my human form. Usually when we are like this I am a wolf and his fingers trail through my fur then rest at the place behind my ears scratching until I melt under his touch. Now his hand that is over my arm on his torso grabs lightly at my bicep and the one on my back is tracing my spine, slowly making its way up to the hair on the back of my head. When they stay there they scratch through the short bristles there. The whole moment has me in a state of relaxation I haven't felt in a long time. This is the most comfortable I have been in my life.

We end up dozing for a bit and it isn't until a text from Laura that I wake up. When I look outside it is almost dark and somehow we managed to sleep the afternoon away. "Stiles, we fell asleep. Time to wake up so I can get you home." He rouses easily with a smile on his face.

"How long were we out?"

"Not sure, but it's almost dark out."

"Really? I haven't napped in the afternoon, like, ever. This was kinda awesome." His smile evolves into a full on grin. "Totally should be a thing that happens again." His heart is racing and there is a level of embarrassment there but no lie.

"Definitely." I let my own grin take over my face and together we descend the ladder to make the bike ride back to my house. Then I get the keys to the car and take him home. The ride is quiet, but comfortably so. We don't need words to fill the gaps in conversation. It's easy and there is nothing needed but our presence with each other to make things good between us. I don't know how I didn't see the signs before today. But now that can all change. Once we get to his house I get out and walk him up to the door. I don't know what makes me do it, it makes this feel like more than just two friends that were hanging out. I am okay with that, I just hope that he does too.

"So I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning." There is a slight blush on his face and it makes the butterflies in my stomach dance around.

"Yeah, tomorrow."

"Well night." He give an almost awkward wave and I can't help but return with a light kiss to his cheek before making a quick escape to the car. I don't look back, too afraid of the reaction, much like his actions this morning. This is going to be a new turn for us. I know it.

The whole day is a weird sort of normal, a normal that I thought wouldn't happen after the kiss I gave him. After I get out of the shower Derek is strangely tactile. Well, more so than usual. Then when we get to the tree house after school I thought we were gonna work on our homework as usual. But he had other plans. I don't know why he was so grabby but all I could do is give a weak protest in return. I mean if he wants to snuggle who am I to deny him? It takes all of my will power to not throw a huge boner the whole time he is aggressively scenting me, and really that is the only way to describe it.

Somehow we fall asleep and when he wakes up I can't hide the contentment that has settled around me. When I realize how late it is I am surprised. I don't think I have napped like that since I was a toddler. Normally I am way too wired to do anything but five things at once. But when I am with Derek I am calm and able to focus on only or two things at a time. The drive back to my house is made in peace and not for the first time I am more than happy to let it stay and not feel the need to fill it with mindless chatter. Another first for me.

Then he kisses me. He kisses my cheek and takes off before I can say anything. Derek kissed me. He kissed me. I mean it was only on the cheek, but it held just as much meaning as the kiss I graced him with. It is a promise of more, or at least I hope it is. Maybe I will be able to build up the courage to try and talk to him about it tomorrow. Or maybe he will say something to me. I don't really know and right now I don't really care, because Derek Hale kissed me.

I open the front door and dad is sitting in his arm chair watching a game on TV. "Hey kid, have a good day at school?"

"Yeah."

He gives me a weird look, but it barely registers because all I can think about is the light brush of Derek's lips on my cheek. I realize my hand somehow made its way up to touch at the spot, and I can't muster the will to pull it away, even under the scrutiny of my father. "You okay?"

"Yeah." I know I am grinning foolishly but I can't help it.

"Son, what happened to your cheek?" He sounds concerned and that only makes my smile bigger.

A small giggle manages to escape my mouth before I can say something. "Derek kissed it."

"He what?" Dad has a serious look on his face.

"He kissed me. On the cheek. Just now."

"Stiles." He says my name like it holds so many meanings, and really over the years the way he says it, it often does. Right now it is fatherly concern with a small edge of happiness.

"Dad."

"Just don't go to fast with whatever it is you two are. I don't want you getting hurt." His eyes narrow, "Am I going to have to have a talk with him?"

I drop my hand from my face with a look of shock. "Dad! We are still only friends. I kissed his cheek this morning, and he just kissed my cheek a few minutes ago. We haven't even talked about anything. I don't even know if he wants anything _to_ happen. I mean he only just broke up with his girlfriend. I don't think he is ready for anything with me. No threats to my not even-boyfriend."

He lets out a laugh and puts his hand on my shoulder in a very fatherly manner. "Okay, okay. Calm down kid. But if this does turn into something more, I expect you to invite him over for dinner."

"Dad, you've met him before, a bunch of times."

"Yes, but never as your boyfriend. That is a significant difference." I can't help the groan that escapes my throat.

"Fine dad. But like I said, nothing has happened."

"Yet. Nothing has happened yet. Now it's getting late, you should go up and finish your homework before bed." Not wanting to continue this conversation any further I practically run up the stairs and pull out my things to start what I didn't finish earlier, but all I can think about is the kiss and all the things it could mean.

…

He doesn't say anything about the kiss the next day or the day after that, and neither do I. But he does keep the closeness that started that day. We don't manage to go back to the tree house but we ill snuggle at his house in the living room while watching movies and in his room doing homework. Erica and Laura both noticed, but only Erica makes a comment of how much he has been scenting me. I believe her remark goes something like 'if you scent him any more I won't be able to tell if it's him or your walking into the room'. It makes me blush but it isn't enough to deter either of. Things can only get better right? I mean I am finally feeling that our friendship is turning into something more.

As the weekend hits us and the pack gathering has started, I am introduced to the rest of the pack they all embrace me and make me feel more than welcome. Talia explains who I am and everyone is happy to know that part of mom is still here. It makes me feel a bit nostalgic and Derek keeps a hand in mine the whole time. I feel grounded and safe and at home. Everything is going amazingly well the first few hours, then a man walks into the house with a woman and a child on her hip. Derek tenses and pushes me behind him while Erica and Laura move to flank him staying on either side of me. Talia lets out a low growl, but the man doesn't seem to be fazed by it at all. He just walks in with a happy gait and his arms spread wide. "It is so wonderful to see everyone again!"

The woman with the child moves to the side and starts to mingle with the other adults of the pack not saying anything. Talia steps forward putting herself between the man and Derek. The growl that started in Derek's throat grows to become a full on snarl and I make sure to lace both of my hands with his. The light scrape of his claws and slight point to his ears tell me that he has shifted into his Beta form already. But his shoulders relax a small fraction at my touch.

Talia's growl drops down a enough to let her let out a few harshly spoken words. "Peter. I told you not to come." Sam and a few of the other adults, mostly the humans, take the kids into the kitchen and away from the edgy situation that is taking place in the living room.

"But sister, I only wanted to see the family again. I have been away for quite some time and thought that my return would be with met with a bit more happiness." His gaze wanders over her and Derek to land on me. "Ah yes, you must be Stiles, it is a pleasure to meet you." He goes to take a step forward, but both Talia and Derek growl and snarl respectively in response and that halts him in his advance.

"Mother, he can't be here. I am barely holding on as it is." Derek's grip on me tightens and there is a sharp bite on the backs of my hands from his claws. His voice is ragged and punctured with a low animalistic tone.

"Peter, I specifically told you not to come this weekend. You need to take Claire and Hannah and leave. Now." There is an edge of a threat in there, but I don't know if it is a punishment to be doled out by her, or by Derek.

"Talia, really now I'm-"

"NOW!" Even I can feel the power behind her command. Peter shrinks back and goes a bit pale around the edges. The woman with the child quickly makes her way to the door and Peter follows behind her.

It isn't until the sound his car is making its way down the driveway that the others relax. "Well, that was Uncle Peter." Laura tries a bit of light humor to ease the tension, but Derek still hasn't calmed down.

"Laura, not now." Talia's voice still carries a bit of the Alpha tone to it. "Stiles, why don't you take Derek up to his room and help him to calm down." I give her a small nod and let him lead me up the stairs until we are in his room. Then he crowds me against the door after it's closed and lines up both of our bodies so as much of us is touching as possible.

I lead him to the bed and keep stroking up and down his spine trying to ease him into a better state. I let him cover me with his body once we are on the bed and I can feel a small growl still emanating from his chest. Then slowly a small whimper starts and I keep my hands roaming over his back and into his hair doing my best to calm him down.

After about fifteen minutes he raises his head to look me in the eyes and then slowly keeping eye contact lowers his lips to mine in a gentle kiss. My world goes electric at the contact. It doesn't last very long, but the gentleness, the tenderness, the love that shines through makes my insides grow warm and makes me feel like I am floating. After the kiss he lowers his head back to the crook of my neck and snuffles in as close as he can get. No words are exchanged and we lay there for what seems like hours until we fall asleep.

…

The next day when I wake up, Derek is lying next to me in the bed with our legs intermingled and an arm flung across my stomach possessively. When my eyes meet his, he smiles and I am thrown back to the kiss last night. "Morning."

"Morning."

"Sorry for the way I acted last night. I wasn't in control of myself." The warm feeling that was spreading through my chest is replaced with and icy cold rush. It must show on my face. "No! Not the kiss. Never the kiss. I mean all the things with Peter." He lets out a low growl at the mention of his name but he pulls me to him closer than I was.

"So the kiss…"

"Was intentional, and was all me." The warm feeling comes racing back and I can't help the smile the crosses my lips. He lifts his head to look me in the eyes, "And will hopefully happen again?"

It is phrased as a question that I answer by leaning up the rest of the way bringing our lips together in a slow gentle kiss. Neither of us pull away until we are out of breath. "Yes again. And again, and again, and again." I punctuate each line with a kiss.

"We really need to talk about this." Derek says against my lips.

"Talk later, kissing now." My arms reach up and thread through his hair pulling him back down for more. This time the growl he lets out is a happy one. But we are cut short by a knock on the door.

"Breakfast in ten minutes boys. I expect you both down at the table by then. " Talia sounds amused on the other side but her footsteps can be heard walking away.

Derek rests his head on my shoulder and sags a bit. "How much of that did the rest of the house hear?"

"All of it. Be prepared for a lot of questions."

"Um, how should I answer them?"

"That we have been dancing around each other for a while now, and that we don't want to label it. Unless you do?" The vulnerable side that only seems come out around me makes an appearance.

"Only if you do. I mean I've liked you for a while now."

"Me too. So this, what we have, it's definitive?"

It isn't the word I thought he would use, but it seems right in every way. "Yeah."

"Okay then." He gets up and hands me a few things to get dressed with and I know exactly what he is doing when I get one of his shirts instead of mine. He wants as much of his scent on me as possible. Claiming me in a way. I don't mind at all. He slips out before I am able to get fully dressed but is waiting for me at the top of the stairs and takes my hand when I get to him.

The rest of the morning and afternoon go by in a blur of activity. No one questions me like I thought they would, but they all seem ecstatic that Derek and I are together. I think at one point I hear Laura mutter a 'finally' but I can't be sure. Derek doesn't pay too much attention to anyone in the room and spends all his time draped over me. So it is up to me to carry conversations and make sure that those of the family I don't know aren't ignored when they ask us a question about school or life in general.

It is just after dinner when I am able to extract myself from him for the first time all day. Quickly I pull out the track phone almost on reflex like I have for the last week. There hasn't been much activity from Kate all week and I was beginning to think that maybe we could get away from this weekend unscathed, but there is one message sent from her to Gerard. 'It happens tonight.' My heart starts racing and I have to quickly calm myself before anyone can notice. I use every technique I know for my panic attacks and I can feel it work. I have to leave, and unfortunately I know exactly how I can get them to let me go. I don't want to, but I have to do this.

So when I exit the bathroom I go and look for Talia. "Can I speak with you for a minute? In private?" She nods at me with an inquisitive look on her face. Derek is beside me before I know it and I know that he will want to know what I need to talk to her about so I take his hand and pull him along with us to Talia's study. She closes the door and takes a seat on the couch while Derek sits in the chair that I am standing next to.

"What did you need Stiles?"

"I have had an amazing time this weekend, and I am so happy to be a part of the pack. But it isn't complete. There are three missing members and they should have a chance to be here as well. I know that it is mostly my presence that is the cause for his absence and I want them to have a chance to be a part of this get together."

Derek is growling low, but Talia cuts him off with a look and a growl of her own. "Stiles, you are not the reason he was not welcome here. His actions of the last few years have done nothing but put the pack in danger. Thank you for your concern but do not fear that you causing any tension within the pack. That fault rests solely on Peter's shoulders."

"Okay, but still. Should Claire and Hannah be punished for his transgressions? I know that Derek is not comfortable with him and I being in the same room, let alone the same building, so please invite him back. I can go back to my house for a few hours and come back when he leaves." She looks thoughtful as she considers my proposal.

"You can't really be thinking about this mother? Not after all he has done!"

"Derek, he is a part of this pack, and if he is to atone for his wrongdoings then he must be present to do so." She turns from Derek to me. "Thank you Stiles for being mature enough to allow us this chance. Laura will drive you home." Derek starts to protest, but she silently stops him and he looks down at the floor.

"Walk me to the door?" Derek takes my hand and I pull him through the house making my goodbyes to the others on our way. Laura speaks to Talia then heads out to the car. As soon as we are on the porch I pull Derek into a tight embrace. "It's only for a few hours. I promise. I know you are not happy with your Uncle but give him a chance. He has been away for a while now. Maybe he has changed." Derek snorts in derision, and I pull his chin up to make him look me in the eyes. "Seriously, give him a chance. For me." With one last passionate kiss I leave him standing on the porch and make my way to the car.

He looks a bit like a lost puppy as I close the door and I really wish I didn't have to leave him just yet, but I have to make sure that whatever Kate has planned doesn't happen. Laura doesn't say anything on the drive home and as soon as I am in the house she takes off back home. Thankfully dad is on duty tonight and there is no one home to see me go straight up to my computer. I have to find out where Kate is and it doesn't take long to trace her phone to a bar a few blocks away. Thankfully Beacon Hills isn't that big and I can get there fairly quickly.

Derek sends a few texts about how unhappy he is that I left and how Peter is being insufferable. I tell him to think of me and not let anything his uncle says get to him. That doesn't get a response from him, but I get one from Erica telling me that whatever I said to Derek must have broken him because now he is placidly happy and nothing Peter says to him about my scent being all over him is getting him riled up. That is one problem taken care of for a while, now onto the next.

At the bar I find Kate's car and then hunker down a few stalls away to wait her out. I can't go into the bar, but I am hopeful that anything she says outside will be enough to catch her. Restlessly I sit there for over an hour until she finally comes out of the bar with a very Drunk Harris right behind her. Quickly I pull out the small recorder I bought to make sure that anything she says will be admissible as evidence and not just on my witness alone. "So with the right chemical combination, you can really get a blaze started and spread fairly quickly?"

"With the right combination, you can do just about anything." Harris is slurring his words, and little does he know that he is an accessory to attempted arson. She is going to set the house on fire with the entire Hale family present. It will wipe out the entire pack!

"That is simply… enlightening. Thank you for your company tonight. We will have to do this again soon." There is a sickly sweet tone to her voice that makes me want to punch her in the face. I may not care for Harris, but he doesn't deserve this either. Harris makes his way to the curb where he promptly throws up and passes out. Kate moves to her car but doesn't get in. then she makes a call and I pick up track phone so that I can listen in and make sure the recorder is far enough away to listen to her half of the conversation. "Alright. I am going to pick up the party favors. Meet me at the house in twenty minutes. We are going to have one hell of a bonfire tonight." Then she hangs up and gets in her car. The call was put in to Unger so I know that she is relying on help from him and his buddy to help spread the chemical combo that will set the house ablaze. I don't have much time, I have to get everyone in place before anything can happen. So I get back on my bike and start peddling as fast as I can toward the Hale house.

But I can't warn them that I am coming. I have to make Kate talk more, make her think that she has the upper hand first. So I call my dad. "Hey Kiddo, what's up? You having fun?"

"Uh, not really."

"What are you doing kid? You sound out of breath."

"That's cause," wheeze, " I am peddling as fast as I can."

"Why are you peddling anywhere? You should be a the Hale's."

"Yeah that's the thing. I can't explain everything right now, but I need you and as many cops as you can gather to get to the Hale's as fast as you can. I can't explain everything right now, but if you trust me I am about to help you stop an attempted arson. I'll need you to stay off the main roads though. I have a plan, and I can't change it now. She's gonna be there in like ten minutes. I am only going to get there to hold her off for a few max. You have to catch her, but I need to make her talk first." Somehow I am able to get it all out without passing out.

"Stiles, I don't like this. You are playing a dangerous game. I want you to go home, I will take care of this."

"Sorry pops, but I gotta do this. I have to protect them. I'll see you soon."

"Stiles-" I don't hear what else he has to say because I hang up and see that I only have about five minutes left before Kate arrives. I won't make it in time to beat her, but I should get there with enough time to stop the start of the fire.

…

Sure enough just as I am pulling into the driveway and make my way up the path, Kate is just making her way around the house dropping a black power from her hand and stepping back. I race up to stop just between the line and her and she is taken aback by my presence. There are two guys standing behind her, Unger and Reddick I take it. I step off my bike and let it fall to the ground then put my hand in my pocket to start up the recorder again. I keep my finger over the button to stop it in case she says anything that would reveal the Hales as werewolves, I can't let that get out. "Kate." I say just out of breath. "I don't believe we have had a chance to meet. I'm Stiles. I would say that it's nice to meet you but under the circumstances I think we both know that it's no pleasure."

"So you're the kid that Derek couldn't shut up about." She lets out a laugh. "Do you even know who they are? Do you really know them?"

"Yeah, I do, I also know that you're name isn't Kate Reynolds. Your last name is Argent. And I know what you are about to do here. So I'm going to stop you."

"You are going to stop me?" She pulls out a gun from a holster that much have been hidden by her jacket. "I don't think so."

"Oh, I do. See, I don't play stupidly."

"Oh I think it was plenty stupid to get cozy with a bunch of animals. What, did they promise you[,] the bite? They tell you that you'll be better, faster, stronger?"

"No, actually. They haven't offered and I haven't asked. I don't think that becoming one would be a bad thing, it's just not for me. Not right now anyway."

Unger looks like he is about to rush me and grab me, but Kate holds him back. The jugs of chemicals he and Reddick hold slosh as they move about. "I gotta say kid, you got balls. I am pretty amazed that you think you can stop me from putting these animals down."

There is a buzz in my pocket and I pull it out , never taking my eyes off of the three in front of me. It's a message from dad, saying that they are here and that they are in position. I let out a breath and sigh in relief. "You see, I don't think I can stop you. I know I can. See what Derek must have forgotten to tell you is that my dad is a cop, and I called him before I came out here to face you. That even as we speak there are more than a hand full of officers surrounding us. You got caught Kate, and I got it all recorded." I pull out the device from my pocket just as the officers and my dad step out from the trees and hold the three at gunpoint.

"Drop the gun and put your hands up." Dad edges his way towards me and slowly stands between Kate and me. The other deputies rush forward and put the three of them in cuffs as a few cruisers make their way up the drive. It's then that I realize that none of the Hales are outside so I scrape the heel of my foot through the black line and race towards the house with my dad calling after me.

As soon as I get up to the stairs the door opens and Talia is standing there quickly followed by Derek and Sam. Derek grabs him in his arms and wraps me in a fierce hug. He keeps the more wolfish tendencies at bay for now in mixed company not wanting to raise to many questions from others. Then he whispers in my ear. "The Mountain Ash kept us from hearing anything. It wasn't until you must have broken the line we heard the cars and cops." I nod to let him know I heard him and then pull back.

"Son, do you mind telling me what the Hell just happened?"

I look at Derek with an apology in my eyes and after looking over to where Kate is being placed in a cop car must understand what I am about to reveal. "Well it all starts with how Kate Argent, not Reynolds, seduced Derek into a relationship. She is about twenty-six years old, so not only was it illegal, but she has ulterior motives. I didn't trust her and start to follow her movements and it was by that, that I was able to find out that she was going to set fire to the Hale house and burn the entire family alive." Derek is shaking beside me and it is only my hand in his that is keeping him here with me right now.

"And just how did you come to find this out?" Dad is giving me a suspicious look.

"I can't tell you the exact means of how I came to know some of what I learned, but I do have this," I pull out the recorder and hand it over to him, "on this you will find her talking to Adrian Harris. He is the Chemistry teacher up at the high school. On here he is confirming that with certain chemicals, you can start and spread a fire faster than normal. He was fairly drunk, so I don't think he knew what was going to happen with the information he was supplying her with. The two goons that are with her are both convicted felons for theft and arson. They are her knowing accomplices in this. Lastly if you check her phone records I think you will find that she was in contact with an insurance inspector. It is my theory that she was going to make him falsify they inspection and make it look like an accidental fire, not arson. Also while I have no proof of it, I do believe that she was acting on orders from Gerard Argent. I have no proof of this, but I know for a fact that she has had a few conversations with him and if you can access her phone you might be able to make him an accomplice in all of this as well."

"Stiles, what the hell? I don't think I want to know how you came across half of what you know, but what on earth would cause this woman to do what you are saying?"

Talia places a hand on my shoulder and speaks before I can say anything. "The Argents and the Hales have… bad blood between them. I wouldn't call it an all-out feud, but our families are by no means friendly. While this is not something I would expect of them, it comes as no surprise either. I cannot validate what he says, but I trust Stiles."

He sighs and then looks back to the other officers then turns back to me. "Son, I don't know what you got yourself tied up in, but we are going to have a long discussion about leaving the detective work to those who are paid for it. I trust that I can leave him here? A few officers will be staying to watch the house just to make sure nothing happens."

"Of course. It is nice to finally meet you John, even under these unpleasant circumstances." He nods in agreement, shakes her and Sam's hand then descends the stairs to go and start the process of getting Kate and her goons back to the station for interrogation.

We make our way back inside and I take Derek over to the couch practically sitting in his lap to keep him calm. "Stiles I think it's time we had a talk of our own." Talia looks at me with a mixture of caring and anger. This is going to be a long night.

* * *

So the boys are finally together! Kinda... They still have a lot to talk about, and Kate had to go and interrupt it with her plan. I also jsut wnat to let you guys know that the story is far from over. I have a few more major things to happen.

The angst isn't over either. Derek has a guilt complex a mile wide, and this whole situation is only going to add to it. So be prepared.

I am not a cop, I don't know all the laws, I don't know if the information provided would actually be enough to make a conviction, but for the sake of the story we are going to say yes, yes it is.

And lastly the Mountain Ash. I have read and written stories where the Mountain Ash canbe manipulated in other ways. I always like this idea because it is powered by the users belief. So I think that you could make the barrier sound proof and stop the supernatural from seeing past it. This is what Kate does in this story so the Hales wouldn't know what was going on until it was too late. They never really explain how all of that really happened, so i am taking a few liberties with it.

Please let me know what you think! Did you like it, did you hate it, do you want more? Thanks!


	10. Live in My Mind

Massive feels this chapter. All from Stiles' perspective, and so much happens. I can't wait to see what you guys think about this twist!

* * *

"Before you say anything, I know that I should have come to you and told you what was going on, but the thing is, that before tonight, I had no proof that anything was going to happen and that everything I thought to be true was real. I found out that she was a Hunter and I was keeping tabs on her. She kept talking about this 'plan' but I didn't know what the plan was. It wasn't until tonight that I was able to get any concrete evidence. I didn't want to endanger any of you guys because who knows what she would have done had she caught you. With it just being me, I am only human, she wouldn't hurt me. Not like she would hurt you guys. I had to protect the pack. I couldn't let her hurt any of you." Derek nuzzles in closer to me and I let him, taking as much comfort from him as he is taking from me.

"Really, Talia?" Peter's incredulous voice makes me look up to see the exchange going on between them. A harsh look shuts Peter down right away and he steps away, back into the kitchen where most of the family is waiting.

When Talia's eyes turn back to meet mine I can see a fierce sense of pride directed towards me, but I can also see the fear and anger there too. "Stiles, though what you did was brave and thoughtless, I cannot condone it. You are under my protection, if you were hurt in any way…"

"I know. I knew that my actions would have consequences, but if all of you are alive because I was a bit stupid, then it was all worth it in the end." I refuse to look away and cower no matter what the hard look in her eyes convey.

She comes forward slowly and kneels next to the couch where Derek and I are seated, then cups my face with her hand and runs a finger across my cheek in a loving gesture. "There is nothing I can do that will repay what you have done for us." The way her face morphs from concern and anger to kind and loving is so striking that I can't help the tears that start to run from my eyes.

As I lean into her hand I close my eyes. "I would do anything for the pack. For my family." And really, that's what the pack is. My family. Our family.

Derek starts to shift restlessly under/next to me and before I know it he has bolted out the door and sprinted off into the night. It takes me all of two seconds to race off after him. I can hear Talia and the others calling me back, but I know that Derek is blaming himself. That he is going to beat himself up because of what has happened. I can't let him do that, and none of them are going to stop me from getting to him.

As soon as I hit the tree line I am suddenly hit with the thought that he is faster than me and I have no clue how I am going to find him. My feet seem to carry me forward even though I am not sure which direction he went. It isn't until I am almost halfway there that I realize that I am heading towards the tree-house. He has to be there, it's the only place where he's said he can be alone. He just has to be there. If he's not, then I don't know what I am going to do.

As I get closer to the clearing the tree-house is set in I can hear a gut wrenching sob. It is almost animalistic in nature and I know that it's Derek. My heart is beating fast and it feels like it is about to jump out of my chest. But I don't let that stop me. Just as I am about to step out of the trees into the long grass a hand grabs at my arm holding me back with inhuman strength. "Laura. I need to go to him. He needs me. He needs to know that none of this is his fault."

She gives me a look of concern. "I know that. But if I let you go out there he will rip you to shreds. He isn't in control right now."

"No, he won't. He would never hurt me."

"You can't know that Stiles." Her hand tightens on my arm and I can tell there will be a nasty bruise there later.

"Yes, I can. I know he won't. I just _know _it. Please, Laura. Please." Slowly her hand loosens and takes a step back.

"Stiles, just… be careful, okay?" the look in her eyes is fear mixed with unease. I have faith that he won't hurt me. He would never hurt me. Laura gets out her phone, probably to let the others know where we are, and that we are safe.

My first few steps are tentative and slow. My phone buzzes in my pocket, but I ignore it for now focusing on the guy I'm in love with. "Derek. Derek, I'm here. Everything's going to be okay. Everything is fine. We stopped her. She didn't hurt anyone. None of this is your fault. You didn't know what she was doing. There's no way you could have known."

I'm only a few feet away when he turns to look me in the eye and his are that brilliant blue. "It's all my fault. I let her in. I told her things. She knew the whole pack was going to be here because I told her. It's all my fault." His claws unsheathe themselves and he buries them into the ground trying to stave off the change. I don't let it scare me though. He needs me to anchor him and that is exactly what I will do.

The last few steps I take towards him aren't cautious, I don't hesitate, I rush and place myself before him cupping his half changed face in my hands resting my forehead against his. "No. She used you. She saw that you were vulnerable, and she took advantage of you. How could you know what she was, when she was hiding it the entire time? How could you know what she was up to? You saw someone who looked at you, someone who could find you when you needed to be found. She led you on and you didn't know any better than to be lead. You thought she loved you and you thought you loved her. She twisted and manipulated your emotions. It isn't and will never be your fault for falling in love. Never."

Some of the wolfish features recede and his breathing evens out to match my own. My phone buzzes for the second time, but again I ignore it. "Stiles, I almost got them all killed." His voice breaks and the tears that he was holding back finally start to fall as he sags into me. "She almost killed my whole family, and it was my fault. It was all my fault." I know that there is nothing I can say right now that will convince him otherwise so I let him rest against me and just give him time to mourn for what could have been.

"Oh, Derek. It wasn't your fault you were tricked by a pretty face." We both turn to where Kate is standing over Laura's limp body. Her chest is still moving so that means she is just knocked out for now. Derek growls and moves to get up but I hold him back and keep me between her. "Awe, isn't that cute. The little human trying to protect the big bad wolf. I almost hate to end this happy ever after." Before I know it she pulls out a gun and fires off two shots.

At first there is a moment of shock. Then I look down and see two red spots growing on my torso. One on my stomach and the other on the right side of my chest. The pain doesn't hit me for another few seconds, but it is enough time that I hear Derek roar with a few others echoing close by. There is the sound of people moving and then I am looking up into the night sky on my back. Derek is there putting pressure on my chest, but I already feel a numbing sensation growing there. "Stiles! Stiles, you can't leave me, come on! Just hold on!" He looks away, "Mom! Mom, he's dying!" Then is face is turned back to me with tears running haphazardly down his cheeks. "Stiles, you can't leave me. I love you, okay, you can't leave me because I love you."

"Love you too, Sourwolf." I give him a small smile. There's no way I'm going to survive this. Through all the pain all can think is that I am leaving my dad, leaving Derek, and the pack. But I protected them. I kept them safe. My grip on Derek's arms is weakening. I know it won't be long.

"No, you can't say goodbye. I'm not letting you go. I only just got you. You can't leave me." Talia is there and kneeling next to us. She had tears in her eyes and a helpless look that I never thought would cross her beautiful face.

"Stiles, there's no time. Help won't get here in time. But I can save you." She looks fearful, and I know why. They all know that I was never going to ask for the bite. At least not for a long time if ever.

"Stiles, please. Let my mother save you. Stay with me. Please." Derek nuzzles into my neck and keeps pleading with me and his mother to let this happen.

"What- what are the risks?"

"Stiles, now isn't-"

"T-Talia, p-please. What a-are they?" my voice is getting shaky and I can feel my vision going black at the edges. Not long now.

"There is a chance the they bite will take and you will turn, or that you will die."

"Well, I'm already doing that." A wet laugh escapes my lips and I can feel a bit of blood on my tongue. "If-if I do this, w-we have t-to tell m-my d-d-dad." She nods in agreement and I turn back to Derek taking his hand in mine as tightly as I can. Then not looking away from him, "Okay. Do it." There is shredding sound of my shirt being ripped off and then a sharp twinge as Talia's fangs sink into my abdomen. The darkness is edging in quickly now and with my final breath I let out a few last words. "I love you Derek." Then nothing.

**…**

As I am slowly coming back into consciousness, my eyes are closed and there is bright light that I can sense behind my eyelids. Gradually, I let them open to take in my surroundings. The last thing I remember was being held in Derek's arms and Talia giving me the bite. I can still feel a tight sensation around me as I start to get up, but I'm not in the tree-house clearing anymore. Now I am standing on the shore of my mom's favorite beach in Greece. I remember this place because we stayed here right before she found out about the tumor and it was the longest we stayed in any place outside the U.S. The water is so clear that you can see right to be bottom of the sea. The sand and rocks lining the shore are whiter than I remember and as I turn to take it all in see a girl standing about a hundred feet away in a white dress that is blowing in the gentle, Mediterranean breeze. She is looking at me, and that is when I realize, this is the girl I have been dreaming of. She smiles and starts walking towards me. It is determined, but lazy at the same time. When she is standing in front of me, I can see that my dreams really did her no justice, and that she really must be an angel. That this must be Heaven or something.

I must have said the last bit out loud. "No Stiles, this isn't Heaven." Her laughter is like music, light and airy. "You're not really dead. Think of this more as, limbo."

"Limbo? Like my stop before the afterlife?"

"Not really, more like a place where you get to decide what you want to do. You were given a gift before you came here. And it's my job to help you decide."

I raise one eyebrow at her, "And who are you that makes you so qualified?"

"No one special. Just someone who knows what choice you are facing right now. One I wasn't lucky enough to be given. Though, not many are."

"Okay, what can I call you then?" I am still suspicious of her, I don't really know what to think of this whole situation.

"You can call me Paige."

It takes me a minute to put it all together in my head, but once it hits me, my mouth hangs open in a most unflattering way. "You're…"

"Paige." She smiles and answers helpfully.

"Derek's…?"

"Yes, I am that Paige." Her smile never leaves her face.

"What? I mean how?"

"Like I said, I am here to help you make your choice. Although, I don't really see that there is much of a choice to make. Either come with me, and live in bliss for eternity hoping for reincarnation, or return to the world and live out the rest of your life." I am too stunned to say anything in response and it is her laugh that draws me out of my convoluted thoughts. "Why don't we sit down as it all sinks in? But we don't have much time, you will have to choose quickly."

I do as she says and she moves to sit next to me. "How can this be happening?"

"You believe in werewolves yet you can't believe that such a thing as the afterlife exists?"

"Well I have physical evidence of the werewolves, this? How do I know that this is real, that I'm not just dreaming?"

"You don't, but it doesn't make it any less true." The way she says it with such straightforwardness makes me think that this is real. I mean how could I just dream her up. I never knew her and while Derek and I have talked about her, he never told me what she looks like, or what she sounds like. Can you just dream those things up? This feels so real it's overwhelming.

"Okay, if you are really here, then why am I being given a choice?"

"Because you showed an act of self-sacrifice that the big wigs upstairs thought you deserved a second chance. Before you entered limbo, you were given the gift of the bite, it can save you or kill you. Which path you take is up to you."

"What do you think I should do? I mean I don't want to leave my dad, and the pack, and…" I have to look away from her. This is the first person Derek loved. How can I talk to her about him?

"Derek?"

It takes a bit to work up feeble response. "Yeah. Derek."

"Well, I can see how much he loves you. Derek and I thought we loved each other, but what the two of you share is nothing like what he and I had. You started out as friends, and even after what he is was revealed to you, you never thought of backing away. I thought I had found out that there was something different about him. I was close to figuring it out myself, but I can't say that I would have been as accepting as you were. I've been watching you, Stiles Stilinski. I've seen the lengths you've gone to, to make sure he stays safe, and since you are asking me what I think, I think you should go back to him. Life here might be happy for you, but you will never find the joy that you could have with him."

"How can you…?" I can't finish the thought. I don't want to hurt her any more than she might already be hurting.

"What? Watch the two of you be happy? Stiles, I want that for him so much. I have been watching you because you make him the happiest he has been in a very long time. Since even before he met me. I want you to love him." Her smile is both happy and sad at the same time. "I can't do it, but you can. You don't even know how tied together you are. If you leave him, he will be devastated."

It really doesn't take me any time to think about what I want to do. I mean I knew I was going to go back even before I asked her. But I can't help to bring her into a tight hug. "Thank you. I'll love him enough for the both of us. I promise." She hugs me back just a closely.

"I know, Stiles." When we pull away from each other I can feel tears starting to form behind my eyes, but she looks just as happy as ever. "Now, before you leave, there is someone who wanted to say hello." She stands and moves away from me, and when she is out of my line of sight there is another woman there with chocolate brown hair in a long flowy white dress.

"Mom." The word ghosts out of my mouth, voice caught in the emotion that I am swimming in. In the blink of an eye we are wrapped in each others embrace. "Mom." This time I let it out thick and heavy in sentiment.

"Oh, Stiles." Her hand is running through my hair like she used to do when I was younger. "You've grown so much. I am so proud of you." I am surprised that she isn't wincing in pain as my grip on her gets tighter. I can't say anything, too lost in her presence. The same smell of vanilla and lavender fills my senses, along with the harsh almost chemical scent of paint and mellow undertone of paper. "Honey, we don't have too much longer. You have to go back and live your life. I love you and your father so much. I am so proud of you, and I am glad that you were able to go back and find the pack. Sorry I never told you about them, but I wanted to keep you safe from that life. Although it seems like you have a knack for finding trouble."

"Hey, trouble usually finds me." I say a bit indignantly, she just looks on in mirth and my tone changes to something filled with sorrow. "Mom, there is so much I want to tell you."

"I know sweetheart."

I can see so much in her eyes. "I love him so much. I wish he could have met you. You'd really like him, too."

"I can see that. You are good for each other. I'm glad that you could find someone that makes you so happy. But now it's time to go back to him. Things will be different now, but I know that you will make it out okay. I'm always watching out for you." She pulls me into a final hug then lets go backing away. "I love you Stiles. Now go live your life. Tell Talia thank you for me, and tell your father I love him."

"I will Mom. I love you."

Paige comes back and puts a hand lightly on my shoulder. "Ready?"

"Yeah. I'm ready." I wipe the last of the fallen tears away and face my mom with a smile on my face. It's hard to leave her again, but not as bad this time knowing that she is happy and watching over me and dad.

"Take care of him Stiles, and let him take care of you." She smiles and I not my head. There is a tightness around my chest and a bright white light overcomes the beach around us and I am thrown into darkness again.

…

Waking up this time is different. Before my eyes open my ears are assaulted by so many noises. They aren't ones that I would normally be able to hear though, like the heartbeat that is thumping right next to me, or the soft whispering that sounds like it is just on the other side of the room, but I can tell is on the other side of the house. House? Then my nose is overcome with so many varying scents. There is Derek who smells like the woods and blood and home. Derek! My heart rate picks up at that. But there are other smells. Gun oil and whisky. Dad? Over all of that I can still smell the faint lingering scent of vanilla and lavender. It makes me smile and that is when I realize that someone is talking to me. "Stiles, I know it's a lot to take in, but if you open your eyes, I can help you with it. Everything is going to be okay."

Derek's voice goes a long way to sooth the instincts that are slowly pushing their way to the surface. To run, to howl, to bury my nose in my… my something? I know it's Derek, but the word boyfriend doesn't seem to encompass all that he is to me. Lover? No. Significant other? Nope not enough either. But it's too much to think about now so I gingerly open my eyes and I am met with two brilliant blue glowing orbs. Suddenly the instinct is too much and I surge forward and bury my nose in the nape of his neck taking in deep lungfuls of air sweetened with everything that is Derek. A low thrum starts in my chest and I can't quell it, can't keep it from growing in strength.

"Hey," He lets out a bit of a laugh then returns the action on me. "I'm here. I'm here. It's okay."

As the need to have his scent in my nose recedes I can feel the pull of the wolf inside. Derek was right when he said that the wolf and he weren't two separate entities but more like two sides of himself that can war with each other for dominance. Right after waking, the wolf wanted out to prowl and run, but now it is just content to sit dormant until called upon. Like a trusted friend that has been missing until just now.

"Now, we don't really know how you are going to react so we are holed up here in my room until we think you can take more than that." His eyes are still blue and I can feel the trill of power resting in my own eyes. He lets me get up to go over to the mirror to see my own new amber eyes glowing back at me. Not a look I thought I could pull off, but it doesn't look too bad on me, to be honest. "Talking may be a bit difficult at first, so don't try to."

"Why? I can talk just fine thanks." My voice is a little rough, but otherwise not too different. No wolf edging in anyway. Derek just stares at me in wonder and I turn back to the mirror willing the wolf to withdraw all the way switching my eyes back to their normal whiskey color. All it takes is thinking of being myself with Derek and my dad. Thoughts of that final hug with my mom and it all falls away to rest under the surface until I have need of it. "See. I'm fine."

He moves over to me, cupping my head in his hands, looking over my face and sniffing me out. He is trying to judge my emotions by scent, something I have seen them all do at one point or another. Now I can do it right back. There is a massive amount of what feels like surprise, shock, and a faint hint of awe. "Stiles, this is… you should be half out of your mind right now. Mom said-" that is when there is a knock on the door and I can sense two heart beats behind it. One is Talia, the feel of Alpha is strong and I am pulled towards it, the other is unfamiliar and makes me want to unsheathe my claws and let my fangs out in defense of my… the word is just there on the tip of my tongue.

"Derek, Stiles? May I come in?" Derek takes my hands in his and leads me over to the bed where he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me onto his lap so he can hold me and keep me grounded.

"Come in." Derek calls out. The door opens and there is a man who wipes through a black line on the floor. Mountain Ash. Then after Talia steps through he closes the line again, then closes the door behind her staying out in the hallway.

"Stiles." Her eyes flash red and I can feel my eyes flash back at her in response. With the other person's heartbeat fading, I can feel the defensiveness pull back and then I am loose in Derek's arms again.

"Mom, he, I don't know how, but he can already maintain some control. He made his eyes shift back without breaking a sweat." As she steps forward he lets go of his grip on me and I can tell that I am meant to stand in front of her.

She leans towards me and takes in my scent then hums thoughtfully. "Stiles, how did you manage to keep the wolf at bay?"

"I don't know. I just thought of Dad and Derek, and my mom. I saw her." Then turn back to Derek. "And Paige. It's hard to explain, but I was in like, Limbo, or something. Paige told me that she's been watching over us." I take Derek's hand and then sit back down next to him drawing in his scent. "She wants you to know that she's happy. She isn't angry, and wants us to be happy. Wants you to be happy." Giving into the wolf a bit, I nuzzle into his neck and let the comfort and contentment roll out through my scent to let him know that she's okay. He takes a shaky breath but nods his head and pulls me into a hug again.

"You saw Claudia?" Talia's voice is sharp.

"Yeah, she wanted me to thank you. She didn't say what for, but I think we both know." Her smile meets mine and the tears start to well in both our eyes. "Can I see my dad? He's here right? I mean I can smell him, he must be here. That's gonna be weird isn't it, being able to smell and hear things I normally couldn't have."

Talia chuckles but then looks at me seriously. "I don't want to endanger your father. You seem to have control, but I know that you would never forgive yourself if you hurt him."

"No, I wouldn't, but I also need to see him. I need to… it's hard to explain." And really it is. I have this irrational need to be near him right now. Like I should be comforting him.

"We get it. It's instinct to be close to pack during times of stress. The fact that you have both been so worried about the other, it is only right that you would want to seek his comfort."

"Then can I? I mean, Derek will stay close, and I think he and my dad are my anchors so I should be fine if I am with him right?" She looks torn for a few moments. "Please, Alpha?" I didn't mean to say that and she laughs at the twisted look that graces my face at the word.

"That will take some time to push away. You may call me Talia. None of this Alpha business." A warm smile appears on her lips. "I think that if we are careful you should be okay. But I want you to sit on the other side of the room from him. We have a few things to tell him, now don't we?"

"You mean we are going to tell him about all of this?"

"That was one of your 'conditions' was it not?" Her smile turns wry and morphs into a smirk, like I could demand anything of her.

"Yeah, I guess I just thought I would have some time to ease him into it, but the sooner he knows the better. Then I won't have to hide anything from him." Derek drops his arms from my waist and takes my hand in his as we stand. "Let's get this show on the road." Talia takes out her phone and sends a message. There is movement on the stairs and that same heartbeat as before is approaching. Again the instinct to take the defensive starts but I tighten my hold on Derek's hand and keep it down.

There is a knock on the door and Talia opens it to reveal the same man as before. "Stiles, this is Alan Deaton. He is a friend of the Hale pack. Our Emissary. There is still much that we have to talk about, and his role in the pack is one of them, but for now, let us move downstairs." She looks to Alan silently asking him to break the line.

"Talia, is this a wise decision?"

"Yes, Stiles has shown excellent control. Everyone will be fine." He nods his head not looking quite convinced, but not looking to take the matter further. After he breaks the line I can feel the urge to run down the stairs and out into the woods and let the wolf take control. But I don't I rein it in and think of Dad and Derek. Derek, who smells like home and comfort and, yeah, I can do this.

We walk slowly downstairs, and I can tell that most of the pack has left. I don't even know what time it is. So I pull out my phone and see that it is almost two in the morning. Well, that would explain a few things. It was only about eleven when Kate was taken into custody. I was out for a while. Better to think of other things right now though. Dad's heartbeat is fast but calm at the same time and I can easily pick it out in the tangle of sounds coming from around the house.

He is sitting on the couch next to Sam talking in low voices when we enter the room. Erica and Laura are in the doorway to the kitchen and let their amber eyes find mine. I let mine flash for a moment letting them silently know that I'm okay and they both grin when I am able to pull it back again. Who knew I would take to the wolf so easily? Derek leads me to the chair that sits on the other side of the room and I can feel dad's eyes follow my movement. As we sit, Sam puts a hand on dad's arm to keep him from moving. "Stiles, tell me what is going on."

"Sorry dad. Didn't mean to have this happen, but there wasn't really any other choice."

"What does that mean Stiles? What is going on here?"

"Well dad, what would you say if werewolves were real, and that I am one now?" He looks at me with disbelief in his eyes.

"Stiles, really, werewolves?"

"Yup." I let my eyes flash at him and he sit up straight in his seat rubbing his eyes like he was seeing something. This time I will my eyes to change and to let my fangs drop just a bit but not giving into the full shift. Derek's hand tightens on mine and I know that I will be able to keep full control. "I'm a werewolf, dad. And there really is no easy way to tell you this. There is so much to tell you." And that is where I start. With mom, and how her father was a bitten wolf and part of this pack, and then what a pack is, and it continues on from one topic to another, through how I found out about the supernatural world, to shadowing Kate and figuring out her plans, until we get up to what happened tonight. "After you left we came inside, but then Derek was feeling guilty and ran off, so I followed him. I couldn't let him be alone after all that. I didn't know that she had escaped, and then there she was. She shot me, and I was dying. I could feel it. But Talia is an Alpha, my Alpha. She gave me the bite and it saved me. And dad, I got to see mom. While I was turning, I went to this weird limbo like place and I was back on that beach in Greece, you know mom's favorite? I got to talk to her. She said that she was happy, and she loves us. Dad. She's watching over us, and she is so happy. She wanted me to tell you that she loves you. So don't be sad."

Even as I say the words, I can feel the tears fall from my eyes and see some well up in his. I know Talia wanted me to stay away from him, but I just can't. Quickly so they can't stop me I slip from Derek's hand and race across the room to pull my dad into a standing hug. At first I can feel Sam and Talia tense, but Derek is standing behind me with a hand on my lower back as my dad wraps his arms around me. I bury my nose in his neck and take in his scent, letting it wash over me and lull me into a sense of comfort. "Dad, everything is going to be okay. We have a family, we have the pack, and we have each other. Everything will be okay."

"Son." It comes out choked and thick with emotion while his hug on me gets tighter. Before being turned this would have verged on hurting but now it is just a hard pressure. I make sure to keep my own hug loose enough not to hurt him, but firm so that he can get the same sense of comfort from me. Eventually he pulls away and I sit down in front of him on the floor keeping his forearm in my hand as he sits back on the couch. The need to touch him is a constant and now I know why the others were always so forthcoming with physical affection.

"So what happened? How did Kate escape?"

"We're not really sure. Officer Jensen was driving her to the station and we can't find him anywhere."

"Jensen? Paul Jensen? He's an officer? I _knew_ I knew that name from somewhere!"

Dad's eyes narrow at me. "Stiles, what are you talking about?" Talia comes to stand behind the couch and gives me the same look.

"Uh, well, when we was tailing Kate she went to a meeting with some other Hunters, it's how we figured out what she was. There were a few other cars there with hers and when I ran the plates one of the cars was under his name. He's a Hunter, dad. He's been working with them the whole time. I knew that name sounded familiar, I just couldn't place where." I get kind of sheepish at the mention of using the DMV database. It is something that only my father should have access to.

"And this is why you should leave the sleuthing to the professionals. You should have told someone, you could have been hurt. You _were_ hurt."

"I know dad, but what would you have said if I came to you and told you what was going on without any evidence? You would have thought I was crazy. If I hadn't done what I did, then my pack would be dead. All of them. She would have burned them all alive. I am sorry for not going to someone sooner, but I refuse to be sorry for the actions I took. It saved so many lives, I could never be sorry for that."

Dad looks at me for a few minutes and then takes in a deep breath letting out an equally large sigh. Turning to Talia, "You see what you are going to have to deal with here?" I let out an indignant noise, but snort it into a laugh. I know that this conversation isn't over, and that he still isn't really happy with what I did, but for now he is happy that we are all alive.

There is another question that has been burning into my mind since I came to. "So what happened to Kate? After she shot me it was pretty much a blur."

Talia looks back to me smile falling from her face. "Peter and I subdued her. Then as soon as your father showed up with the Sheriff she was taken into custody for the second time."

"Now she is down at the station with a guard on her round the clock. Last I heard she was screaming about monsters and a few other profanities I don't care to repeat. Needless to say after what she pulled and now another 'attempted murder' on top of the arson and bribery,she won't be seeing daylight for a long, long time. With the evidence you gathered for us, and all of the other things that it lead us to, we have enough that no jury will find her innocent." He looks a bit proud and then all of the tiredness of the night seems to catch up with him.

"Dad, you should go home and get some sleep."

Talia lays a hand on his shoulder. "You can take the guest room tonight. I would rather have our new pack members close, just in case."

"You mean dad's pack, too?"

"Of course he is. He was just like you were before. He just didn't know it yet."

Dad lets out another sigh and Sam stands. "Come on John, let's get you settled in. They have a bit more to talk about before turning in themselves."

He nods and we both stand together. I give him one last hug before letting him go to get some rest. "So what more do we have to talk about?" I can't help the yawn that comes out of my mouth in the middle of the words.

"That is more for you and Derek to talk about. And we will all give you the privacy to do so. For tonight you may stay in Derek's room, I am going to have Deaton seal you in with Mountain Ash again, just to stay on the safe side. Then in the morning, your official introduction as a wolf will start." I nod and Derek leads me back up the stairs. I can smell the nervousness rolling off of him and I just put my arms around his waist walking in tandem with him letting my nose settle in the middle of his back.

As soon as we are in his room he closes the door and then settles us on his bed. We get tangled together in a way that settles everything in me and I don't know that I could be more content right now. "So what is it that we have to talk about? Seems kind of important."

"There's something I've been keeping from you. I didn't do it to hurt you, or me for that matter. I just didn't know how to handle it. But now, you are going to feel it too, if you aren't already, and you should know even if you don't want to be with me after you find out. I'll get it. But I have to tell you, and let you know that I will love you no matter what you decide."

"Derek, what is it?"

"Stiles… you're my Mate."

* * *

So Kate was truly brought to justice, well kinda, still have a bit further to go on that. Stiles is turned, and gets to talk to his mother and Paige. That was a plot point that came to me and I couldn't let it go once I had it. It is very much a Harry Potter reference. I know, but I love the idea of Paige talking to Stiles.

John is in the know, and the big reveal! How will Stiles react? I think we all know the answer to that...

Until next time, let me know what you thought! Love to hear your feed back!


	11. Maybe for All Time

Beware the angst. This is the last chapter but from Derek's perspective. Sorry to leave you guys hanging.

* * *

After I see Kate being taken away in handcuffs, I am somewhat frozen in fear. My head is swimming in this fog. I am only pulling in snippets of conversation. Stiles' voice is grounding and that is all that keeps me grounded. But as soon as he says that the pack is family and there is nothing he wouldn't do for us, I can't take it anymore. This is all my fault. How Could I have let her get so close and not know what she was. How could I think that someone so much older than me would really be interested in me? How could I fall in… I can't finish the though, bile rising in my throat. I can't stay here. I can't be around all the people I almost helped to kill. Stiles tries to stop me but before he even knows what's happening, I am out the door and racing through the woods, trying to put distance between me and the pack.

I don't even know where I am running. My feet take me off and the fog around my head starts to clear, but only to remind me of what almost happened. My steps falter and I fall to my knees, finally letting out the sobs that were held in until now.

As my arms circle around my torso I don't know if I want to claw myself apart or hold myself together. Both needs are waging war inside me and neither is gaining ground. I almost killed them all. I helped her, I told her about this meet up, that my whole family would be here, I told her months ago that this would be happening. She seemed so excited for me. Now I know it was just her gaining knowledge from me of when would be best to strike. I told her all she needed to know to kill everyone. Me. All me. My body is shaking. Then a familiar heartbeat comes closer. Stiles. He followed me. I don't even know how he can stand to be near me right now.

"Derek. Derek, I'm here. Everything's going to be okay. Everything is fine. We stopped her. She didn't hurt anyone. None of this is your fault. You didn't know what she was doing. There's no way you could have known." His heart is steady; he actually believes what he is saying. How can he?

His footsteps sound near so I turn to face him, not caring that I must look crazed. "It's all my fault. I let her in. I told her things. She knew the whole pack was going to be here because I told her. It's all my fault." He has to see this. I'm a monster. My mother told me once that just because we can be killers doesn't mean we have to be. But I'm a killer. My body keeps shaking and I have to bury my unsheathed claws in the ground just to keep myself stable enough to sit up. I can feel my control slipping from me, my eyes are burning and my fangs are digging into my lower lip just shy of piercing the skin and drawing blood.

He closes the space between us before I can do anything and takes my face in his hands and places his forehead against mine. "No. She used you. She saw that you were vulnerable, and she took advantage of you. How could you know what she was, when she was hiding it the entire time? How could you know what she was up to? You saw someone who looked at you, someone who could find you when you needed to be found. She led you on and you didn't know any better than to be lead. You thought she loved you and you thought you loved her. She twisted and manipulated your emotions. It isn't and will never be your fault for falling in love. Never."

But that's it isn't it. I thought I, I can't say the word, can't think it. It's because I let myself be used, again, that all of this happened. First Peter, now Kate. Who will be the next person to take a piece of me and use it until they are satisfied. The fight is falling from me though. Stiles presence at my side, holding me, grounding me. The wolf starts to fall back and lets my more human thoughts stay in control. . "Stiles, I almost got them all killed. She almost killed my whole family, and it was my fault. It was all my fault." All I can do is fall into his embrace and let the tears finally fall from my eyes. He doesn't say anything and for that I am grateful. I couldn't stand to hear anything else he might have to say right now.

"Oh, Derek. It wasn't your fault you were tricked by a pretty face." Instantly I am up and ready to attack, growl loose in my throat, but Stiles holds me back, keeping himself in front of me. She is standing over Laura's body. She is still breathing and her heart is strong, so she must only be knocked out. That won't last long, so Kate better do whatever she came here for fast. "Awe, isn't that cute. The little human trying to protect the big bad wolf. I almost hate to end this happy ever after." Before I can react she has a gun out and fires off two shots in secession. At first I thought that she missed, but then the scent of Stiles' blood reaches my nose and I look down to see two red stains slowly spreading on Stiles' body.

The roar that escapes me is loud and full of sorrow. She can't take him from me. There is an echoing roar from mother not far off and I know that she will deal with Kate, but my Mate is bleeding out in my hands. He falls back and I catch him lowering him to the ground trying to pull as much pain from him as I can take. More than I can take.

Mother is there with Peter and they have Kate, but I am focused Stiles. He is slipping away. I can feel it already. The Mate bond breaking slowly. Even with the pressure I am putting on the wounds I know he doesn't have long. "Stiles! Stiles, you can't leave me, come on! Just hold on!" His eyes flutter with recognition and look up at me. I turn to see how the others are doing, Kate is unconscious, Laura is awake, and mom is staring over at us. "Mom! Mom, he's dying!" As I look back at my Mate, tears are falling from my eyes faster than I can blink them away. "Stiles, you can't leave me. I love you, okay, you can't leave me because I love you."

I haven't told him that yet. He has to know. If he knows then he can hold on. I can't lose him. I don't know what would happen to me if I did. "Love you too, Sourwolf."

And this is him saying goodbye. I can't hear that. It's selfish, but I can't. "No, you can't say goodbye. I'm not letting you go. I only just got you. You can't leave me." I won't let him. If he leaves, I might just follow him. My heart won't be able to take it.

Mom comes over and there are tears in her eyes, but I can't take my eyes of the beautiful boy. He is so beautiful, I have so much I need to tell him, he can't be leaving me. "Stiles, there's no time. Help won't get here in time. But I can save you." At this, I look up at her. She could save him with the bite. But he doesn't want it. He said so, many times. He won't take it.

But I can't lose him. I am being selfish, but I can't care. "Stiles, please. Let my mother save you. Stay with me. Please." I can't stay away from him and crowd into his space. I don't even know what I am saying, only that I need him to do this. I need him to survive.

"What- what are the risks?" How can he be asking this now? Does it matter what they are as long as it saves him?

"Stiles, now isn't-"

"T-Talia, p-please. What a-are they?" His voice is shaking and the tremors that are wracking his body are small, but very noticeable. I keep myself close to him taking in his scent and try to stay calm for him. He is so calm, as if he has accepted death already. It scares me.

"There is a chance the they bite will take and you will turn, or that you will die."

"Well, I'm already doing that." He tries to laugh and I have to choke down a sob. He would make a joke now. Always trying to take care of us, even when it's him that needs the care. "If-if I do this, w-we have t-to tell m-my d-d-dad." And now he is making stipulations. He is on the verge of death and making demands. I love him so much, I can't lose him. Pulling away from him is one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I know that he will want to look at me. His hand takes mine and his grip is so weak. Our eyes lock on each other and I send him as much strength as I can, drawing out as much pain as I am physically able to do. I don't even care if it burns me out at this point. "Okay. Do it." Mom claws open his shirt and bends low to bite him on his lower abdomen where there is the most flesh to sink her fangs into. His heart starts to give out and its beating weakens to the point that I am sure it is about to give out. "I love you Derek."

When his eyes close I am whimpering and then a fierce need to protect him overcomes me and I push mom back and cover his body with mine. I don't know what I'm doing, but my instincts seem to take over and I am giving him chest compressions, trying to keep his heart going, to let it start back up all on its own. Mom tries to step forward and I snarl at her. My eyes are burning and the only thing keeping my claws in are the fact that they are so close to Stiles' heart. I won't give up. I can't. I will not lose him.

I don't know how long I sit there over his body, but suddenly his chest heaves up and he sucks in a deep breath of air. I stop the compressions and he heart is beating again. Slowly, but still beating. By the time I am standing over him, the whole pack is here around us. When they got there is beyond me, but my Mate is alive. He will live. Laura steps forward but I growl in her direction and she halts in her step. Normally she wouldn't be deterred, she is in line for the power of the Alpha, but now she doesn't reprimand me, neither does mother.

So I bend, scooping Stiles into my arms and start heading back towards the house. The pack parts before me, making sure to keep a good distance away from us. Keeping his body cradled to me, I make our way through the preserve back to the house. The pack is following us and I can hear them talking, but I am too honed in on Stiles' heartbeat and breathing to really pay attention to anything that they are saying. All that matters is that I get him back to the house and let him recover from the events of the night. Even my own guilt is pushed down in the need to take care of my Mate.

As soon as we reach the house I take him up to my room and lay him on the bed, then curl myself around him so that I can be there when he finally wakes. The rest of the pack stays downstairs and I can hear most of them bidding their goodbyes. In all honesty, I am glad that they are leaving. It is irrational, but it means less threat to Stiles. I know that none of them would hurt him, well Peter wouldn't hesitate. The thought of him makes a growl grow in my chest and curl even more protectively over Stiles.

Eventually mom comes upstairs alone and the urge to keep her away is slowly fading with the strengthening beat of Stiles' heart. "Derek, I know the urge to protect him is strong right now, but I need to know that the both of you are okay."

All I let out is a huff. How can we be okay? I mean, yeah, we are alive, but this isn't what either of us wanted. It's my fault, and he is going to blame me for it later. I know it. Maybe not right away, but later, he will. "What do you think?"

I really don't mean to snap at her, but I can't help it. She doesn't sound angry when she speaks again though, "Derek, none of this was your fault. We will all keep telling you that until you believe it. And Stiles made a choice. He accepted the bite. If he truly didn't want it, he wouldn't have taken it. You know that." I don't say anything in return. Somewhere inside I know she is telling the truth and that he never would blame me for anything, but I can't help the voice that creeps up on me and keeps telling me that I am the one at fault, no matter what they say. "Now, we don't know how he is going to deal with all of the new changes, so we are going to seal you in here. I have already called his father, and he is on his way over. When he wakes I will come up to check on you both. If you need anything, just ask. Okay?"

I nod and turn to rest my nose on the column of Stiles neck, taking in his scent to calm me. Then I hone in on his heartbeat and breathing to make sure that he is okay. It picks up in tempo a few times and his eyes move behind his eye lids in activity, but that is a good sign. It means he is dreaming, and that the bite really has taken effect. He is the first turned wolf that I have known. I mean a few of my aunts and uncles are turned, but that was all before I was born, or too young to know what was going on. From what we have been taught, it can take each individual a different amount of time for the change to take place. From a few hours, to a few days. The entire time the change is happening, they sleep to let the body make the necessary changes and get used to the heightened senses. Stiles will need to have lots of practice in control, but with my help and mom, he should get acclimated in no time. He too smart for his own good and that will come in handy while he is learning to rein in the wolf and not let it over power him.

As we lie in wait for Stiles to regain consciousness I take a shirt from the floor and try to wipe away as much blood from us as possible. I remove the shreds of clothing that remain on him, replacing them with my own. They are all a bit too big on him, but the fact that he will be swathed in my scent makes me too happy to pull out some of his own. The clothes we were wearing will have to be burned, no amount of cleaning will get the blood off of them. There is still some dried blood under my fingernails, but I refuse to get up to go to the bathroom and clean them, so for now, it will just have to do.

…

We lay there for a couple of hours. Around one I hear Deputy Stilinski come in and mom talks to him, only half explaining things. I still don't really know what they did with Kate, nor do I care at this point, only so long that she is far away from us.

I can hear Peter talking with the others downstairs and part of me is unsettled that he is allowed to stay, while the other part is glad to have him near. Peter and I were really close when I was young. Always more of a brother, but last year changed the dynamic between us. I don't know that I will ever truly trust him again.

Just before two am, Stiles start to stir and I keep myself close, but put a bit of space between us. I have so much to tell him now that he is waking, and I hope that everything doesn't overwhelm him all at once. As he wakes a restlessness comes over him and I can tell that the wolf wants out to run. So I just start talking, hoping that it is enough to calm him down a bit after the sudden rush of power he is currently going through. "Stiles, I know it's a lot to take in, but if you open your eyes, I can help you with it. Everything is going to be okay." He buries his nose into my neck and starts taking in my scent. Already he can smell the fact that we are Mates. He probably doesn't even know what the smell means, but my heart settles a bit knowing that it isn't just me who feels it. "Hey," I can't help the small laugh that comes out of me. It's nice to have him here with me. "I'm here. I'm here. It's okay." He stills but keeps his face against my neck, just taking everything in. "Now, we don't really know how you are going to react so we are holed up here in my room until we think you can take more than that." He pulls back just enough to look me in the eyes. I know mine are burning blue still, and his are a warm amber. They look so natural on him. He goes over to the mirror to see them for himself and I know that he is about to explode with a thousand and one questions. "Talking may be a bit difficult at first, so don't try to."

"Why? I can talk just fine thanks." His voice is rough and dry, but doesn't waver at all. None of the wolf edging in on it. I can't help but to stare at him. He has some level of control so soon. How, I don't know, but he does. He even makes his eyes shift from amber to his normal caramel/whiskey color. Then faces me again. "See. I'm fine."

The need to touch him, to make sure he's real is pressing in hard and I can't hold back. Cupping his face, I look over him and start to sniff the air around him trying to discern what he is feeling right now. I want to know how. His scent is the same, yet, different. There is a musky, woodsy tone to it now that wasn't there before. The presence of the wolf now residing under his skin. "Stiles, this is… you should be half out of your mind right now. Mom said-" There is a knock on the door interrupting me, and I can tell that it is mom and Deaton on the other side. Stiles can sense him too, and move to a defensive stance.

"Derek, Stiles? May I come in?" Stiles doesn't look like he is going to back down, so I take his hands and lead him to the bed. Once we are there I slide back and wrap my arms around his waist, pulling him down to sit on my lap. His claws sheath themselves and the growling stops for a moment.

"Come in." The door opens and Deaton breaks the line on the floor then seals it back up once mom is in the room with us.

"Stiles." Her eyes flash Alpha red, and I know that both of ours respond in kind. As Deaton makes his way back down stairs, Stiles fully relaxes into me and starts to breath regularly again.

I am so proud of him for staying in control and not needing mom to keep him in line. "Mom, he, I don't know how, but he can already maintain some control. He made his eyes shift back without breaking a sweat." She steps forward and Stiles gets up knowing that he is expected to stand before her.

She leans in taking in his scent, "Stiles, how did you manage to keep the wolf at bay?"

He shrugs his shoulders, "I don't know. I just thought of Dad and Derek, and my mom. I saw her." He turns back to me. "And Paige. It's hard to explain, but I was in like, Limbo, or something. Paige told me that she's been watching over us." His words make my chest constrict but it isn't as bad as it used to be. Stiles sits beside me again and I can tell he is taking in my scent again; I can't help but to do the same. "She wants you to know that she's happy. She isn't angry, and wants us to be happy. Wants you to be happy." I feel as if I could start shaking any moment, but then he is scenting me and letting out his own contentment with his words. I find so much comfort in it that I quickly pull him into a hug and let out a few shaky breaths before regaining my composure. I need to be strong for Stiles, even if he doesn't need it right now.

"You saw Claudia?" I have not often heard my mother's voice so on edge. But in this case I think it is more from shock than from fear.

"Yeah, she wanted me to thank you. She didn't say what for, but I think we both know." For saving Stiles. That is what she is thanking mom for. The smell of salt is strong as tears start to fall from both of their eyes. "Can I see my dad? He's here right? I mean I can smell him, he must be here. That's gonna be weird isn't it, being able to smell and hear things I normally couldn't have." Of course Stiles' blabbering wouldn't stop. Thank Gods. Even though we all complain about it a bit, I know that I wouldn't know what to do without it.

Talia chuckles but then looks at him seriously. "I don't want to endanger your father. You seem to have control, but I know that you would never forgive yourself if you hurt him."

"No, I wouldn't, but I also need to see him. I need to… it's hard to explain." His face takes on an odd look. Like he has feelings that he can't put into words. And that isn't so uncommon for us. There are many emotions that can't be crossed from the wolf to human.

"We get it. It's instinct to be close to pack during times of stress. The fact that you have both been so worried about the other, it is only right that you would want to seek his comfort."

"Then can I? I mean, Derek will stay close, and I think he and my dad are my anchors so I should be fine if I am with him right?" I am one of Stiles' anchors? I mean, he is mine, so that shouldn't be a surprise, but to hear him say it outright, that makes my chest swell with emotion. "Please Alpha." His face screws up into this one of distaste, he obviously didn't mean to say that, but it is kind of funny. I mean we all have the urge to say something like that every once in a while, but few of us actually do.

"That will take some time to push away. You may call me Talia. None of this Alpha business." A warm smile appears on her lips. "I think that if we are careful you should be okay. But I want you to sit on the other side of the room from him. We have a few things to tell him, now don't we?"

"You mean we are going to tell him about all of this?"

"That was one of your 'conditions' was it not?" Her smile turns into a smirk and now she is mom, not Alpha Hale. Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate them, but others it's easy, like now.

"Yeah, I guess I just thought I would have some time to ease him into it, but the sooner he knows the better. Then I won't have to hide anything from him." I move my arm from his waist to take his hand as we stand up. "Let's get this show on the road." Mom takes her phone out and sends a message. Then there is movement on the stairs and Deaton is coming back upstairs to let us out. Stiles starts to shift his weight, but keeps still. The only noticeable change in him is the increase of pressure that his hand holds mine in.

There is a knock on the door and Deaton looks wary as the door opens. Almost as if he knows what is about to happen. "Stiles, this is Alan Deaton. He is a friend of the Hale pack. Our Emissary. There is still much that we have to talk about, and his role in the pack is one of them, but for now, let us move downstairs."

"Talia, is this a wise decision?"

"Yes, Stiles has shown excellent control. Everyone will be fine." He nods his head, not looking quite convinced, but not looking to take the matter further. Stiles feels like he is ready to bolt, but keeps a strong clasp on my hand and slowly we make our way downstairs. His heart picks up a bit when he looks at his phone, but then settles again after he puts it away.

Dad, Laura, Erica, and Mr. Stilinski are waiting for us in the living room when we make our way in. I lead him to the chair on the opposite side of the room from his father and let him sit almost on my lap. I am not sure if I will have to keep him back or not, so it will be best to keep him in my arms for now. Dad holds Mr. Stilinski back so he can't advance towards us. "Stiles, tell me what is going on."

"Sorry dad. Didn't mean to have this happen, but there wasn't really any other choice."

"What does that mean Stiles? What is going on here?"

"Well dad, what would you say if werewolves were real, and that I am one now?" He looks at Stiles with disbelief in his eyes.

"Stiles, really, werewolves?"

"Yup." He lets his eyes flash, then lets the change go a bit further when his father looks like he isn't entirely convinced. I tighten my grip on him making sure that he will stay in control. He would never forgive himself if he hurt his father. I won't let that happen. "I'm a werewolf, dad. And there really is no easy way to tell you this. There is so much to tell you." He starts at the beginning with his mother and how she was born into the pack, how he found out about us, how he followed Kate. That hurts to hear. To know that he put himself in danger for us without a care to his own safety. And follows through to the events of tonight. "After you left we came inside, but then Derek was feeling guilty and ran off, so I followed him. I couldn't let him be alone after all that. I didn't know that she had escaped, and then there she was. She shot me, and I was dying. I could feel it. But Talia is an Alpha, my Alpha. She gave me the bite and it saved me. And dad, I got to see mom. While I was turning, I went to this weird limbo like place and I was back on that beach in Greece, you know mom's favorite? I got to talk to her. She said that she was happy, and she loves us. Dad. She's watching over us, and she is so happy. She wanted me to tell you that she loves you. So don't be sad."

Guilt washes over me all over again, and I have to suppress it for now. Stiles doesn't need that right now. But if it weren't for me, he wouldn't have been shot, and he wouldn't have almost died. He wouldn't be a wolf right now. He would be human, and safe. It kills me that I did this to him, but I can't let him know that. He will only tell me that it isn't my fault, even though we both know it is.

My lapse in thought is enough to let Stiles slip from my hands as he rushes across the room to hug his father. At first I want to race after him, but he is in control and I know that he needs this. So I follow him sedately and place my hand on his back, letting him know that I am there if he needs me, but allowing him to have this moment with his father. Mom and dad are a bit tense, but they can see that this is needed not only for Stiles, but for his father, who only just found out a major secret and learned about the attempted murder of his own son. "Dad, everything is going to be okay. We have a family, we have the pack, and we have each other. Everything will be okay."

"Son." It is the only think that Mr. Stilinski can say, but it is full of all the things that go unsaid. How much he loves his son, how he is afraid for him, and how grateful that he is alive. His father pulls away to regain himself but Stiles keeps one of his arms in his hold. He needs the physical contact, so gently I sit down beside him and wrap my arm around him again.

"So what happened? How did Kate escape?"

"We're not really sure. Officer Jensen was driving her to the station and we can't find him anywhere."

"Jensen? Paul Jensen? He's an officer? I _knew_ I knew that name from somewhere!"

His father's eyes narrow at him. "Stiles, what are you talking about?" Talia comes to stand behind the couch and gives Stiles the same look.

"Uh, well, when we was tailing Kate she went to a meeting with some other Hunters, it's how we figured out what she was. There were a few other cars there with hers and when I ran the plates one of the cars was under his name. He's a Hunter, dad. He's been working with them the whole time. I knew that name sounded familiar, I just couldn't place where." He lets a little remorse through, probably for his illegal use of the force's resources.

"And this is why you should leave the sleuthing to the professionals. You should have told someone, you could have been hurt. You _were_ hurt."

"I know dad, but what would you have said if I came to you and told you what was going on without any evidence? You would have thought I was crazy. If I hadn't done what I did, then my pack would be dead. All of them. She would have burned them all alive. I am sorry for not going to someone sooner, but I refuse to be sorry for the actions I took. It saved so many lives, I could never be sorry for that." I love him so much. He did all of it with a lot of thought behind it, but all for us. Not for himself.

Mr. Stilinski looks back at mom letting out a sigh in defeat. "You see what I have to deal with here?" Stiles lets out an indignant sound but laughs anyway. The tension that was left in the room deflates. The conversation is obviously not over yet, but for the night I think we are all done. Well almost all done. There is still something I have to tell Stiles before sleep claims us.

But Stiles isn't done with his own questions. "So what happened to Kate? After she shot me it was pretty much a blur."

Talia looks back to him smile falling from her face. "Peter and I subdued her. Then as soon as your father showed up with the Sheriff she was taken into custody for the second time."

"Now she is down at the station with a guard on her round the clock. Last I heard she was screaming about monsters and a few other profanities I don't care to repeat. Needless to say after what she pulled and now another 'attempted murder' on top of the arson and bribery, she won't be seeing daylight for a long, long time. With the evidence you gathered for us, and all of the other things that it lead us to, we have enough that no jury will find her innocent." He looks a bit proud and then all of the tiredness of the night seems to catch up with him.

"Dad, you should go home and get some sleep."

Mom lays a hand on his shoulder. "You can take the guest room tonight. I would rather have our new pack members close, just in case."

"You mean dad's pack, too?" And how could he not be?

"Of course he is. He was just like you were before. He just didn't know it yet."

Stiles' dad lets out another sigh and mine stands. "Come on John, let's get you settled in. They have a bit more to talk about before turning in themselves."

Stiles stands and hugs his father one more time before turning back to mom. "So what more do we have to talk about?" He yawns while trying to get the words out, reminding me of how long this night as been for all of us.

"That is more for you and Derek to talk about. And we will all give you the privacy to do so. For tonight you may stay in Derek's room, I am going to have Deaton seal you in with Mountain Ash again, just to stay on the safe side. Then in the morning, your official introduction as a wolf will start." He nods and I lead him back up to my room. I am so nervous that I am sure he is able to smell the tension rolling off of me. But that doesn't stop him from wrapping his arms around me as we hit the top of the stairs. His head falls to the space between my shoulders and we walk together to my room.

As soon as we enter, I close the door and then pull him to the bed so that we can get tangled together. Contentment seeps out of his pores and I let that pull me into a sense of security too. I don't know how he will react to what I have to tell him. "So what is it that we have to talk about? Seems kind of important."

I don't know where to start, so I just start rambling, hoping that it will help me gain some direction. "There's something I've been keeping from you. I didn't do it to hurt you, or me for that matter. I just didn't know how to handle it. But now, you are going to feel it too, if you aren't already, and you should know even if you don't want to be with me after you find out. I'll get it. But I have to tell you, and let you know that I will love you no matter what you decide."

"Derek, what is it?"

I take a deep breath and fairly quietly let out, "Stiles… you're my Mate."

* * *

So this chapter happened because Derek had things to say and I needed you to see where his head was through the events of last chapter. Hope you aren't disappointed in me, but I really needed this to happen.

Next chapter is Stiles' reaction to the news!

Thanks for the awesome feedback! Please continue to tell me what you all think!


	12. Once Upon a Time the End

_Wow, final chapter! How did we get here already?_

* * *

_Mate_. "I'm your what?" That word. It makes something thrum inside of me with recognition.

"You're my Mate. And I'm yours." His voice is hesitant but again the word sounds so right. _Mate, _Derek is my _Mate._ "Stiles, are you okay? No, you're probably mad at me. I mean I kept it from you, and now you hate me. I was just so worried that you wouldn't feel this way about me and I didn't tell you because I couldn't lose you as a friend, and now-" I cut him off with a kiss. Just a light one, a simple, yet passionate, closed mouthed kiss.

Eventually he relaxes into it and kisses back. As the air leaves my lungs I pull away to gasp for breath and tell him exactly how I feel. "Derek, I could never hate you." He looks a bit dumbstruck and I am ecstatic that I am the one to put the expression there. "I mean the fact that we could have been doing this months ago-"

"What?"

Heat creeps across my cheeks and I know that I am blushing something fierce. "Uh, I've kinda been in love with you for a while now."

We both sit up and he takes my hands in his. "How long?" I am embarrassed to say, but the look in his eyes is so sincere and begging me, I can't not tell him.

"I started falling for you the first day I met you. There was just something about you that kept drawing me back. I had to push it down because you were straight and weren't single. When you told me you were bi, I almost got my hopes up. But I was sure you would never feel the same about me." I let my gaze fall from his, but he pulls my chin up with his hand and makes me look him in the eyes once more.

"Stiles, I felt it too. I knew that first day I met you that you were my Mate. But I didn't really know you; I wasn't sure how to act around you. And I was with…" His face falls a bit, but I can't let him feel bad, not when I have found out something like this. I won't let her ruin anything more in his life.

"Hey, don't do that. It's not your fault, and I will keep telling you that until you believe me."

He nods and clears his throat before continuing. "I didn't want to jeopardize what we had. Mom said that Mates don't always have to be together, that they could be friends too. Just that we were meant to stay in each other's lives. But the more time I spent around you, the more I needed to be with you. I felt so guilty about my feeling, that I had to break up with her. I didn't think you would want to be with me, but I couldn't be with her when all I was thinking about was you." Then a bit of sadness enters his eyes.

"Derek? What's wrong?"

"It's just, it's my fault that you had to be turned. You didn't really want it, and now you're a werewolf."

"No." The word comes out so forcefully I can feel the wolf shifting under my skin wanting to get out and destroy Kate for all the pain she has caused Derek. "It is all her fault. She did this. Not you. And you need to stop blaming yourself for her actions. You had no idea of what she was planning. You thought you were with someone that cared about you. Never forget that. It wasn't your fault. No matter what you think. And I don't want to hear you say that it was again." My eyes flash with the last of my words and his shift to their bright blue in response.

"Okay." It comes out quiet and mellow, but I know that he is giving in for now. He will continue to blame himself as time goes on, but for now we can rest peacefully.

"Good. Now I think it's time to sleep." Grabbing him we lay down again, wrapping our arms around each other. Silence envelopes us, but sleep is coming slow. "You know I meant it when I said I love you, right? It wasn't just me talking because I thought I was dying. I really do Love you. Capital 'L' and all." My nose is buried in his neck and his in mine when I say this, so I can't see his face, but his body tenses for a moment before curling tighter around me.

"I meant it too. I Love you Stiles. Nothing will ever change that. You're my future." He nips lightly at the skin on my neck and presses a kiss at my pulse point that makes me shiver in something that not even Danny made me feel.

My pelvis grinds against his without me even thinking about it. "Sourwolf, you can't say and do things like that to me."

"You're my Mate. I am supposed to say and do things like that to you." He nips again a bit harder this time and a whimper escapes my throat as I lean into his lips a bit forcefully. But then he turns me over so my back is to him and presses his nose to the space behind my ear. "But for now, sleep."

Grinding back a bit I can feel his hard on pressing against me. "You are such a tease."

"Stiles, you are the tease. You have no clue how you affect me. The way you smell, the way you walk, your fingers, those moles."

"Now you're just listing things about me."

"And each one of them entices me more and more each day. But we aren't going to do anything for a while. You are still fifteen and I want to do right by you. I won't mess this relationship up too." His arms pull me so close to him, that I think we may merge into one person.

I know I could push this, but I want to respect the boundaries that he has set up for himself. I think they are more for him than they are for me anyway. "Okay, but kissing is something that won't be stopping anytime soon. Plus, I want to test this new healing. How long does a hickey last on a wolf? It is just a bruise after all." He laughs behind me as we settle into a comfortable silence. I know he was hiding this from me, but he was just trying to be a good friend and protect me. I can't be mad at him for that. Besides we are together now, and that is all that really matters. I still have a few questions, but they can wait for morning. For now I just want to relax into the arms of my Mate. So that's just what I do.

Waking with Stiles in my arms is something that I could do every morning and never tire of. He had turned in his sleep and now his head lies on my chest with his limbs spread over me and the small empty space left on the bed. His lips are parted just a fraction of an inch but it is enough that I can feel his breath ghosting out across the skin of my neck. His nose twitches a little every once in a while, picking up the scents of the house coming to life around us. Mom is in the kitchen with dad and Mr. Stilinski talking over coffee. Mostly about what Stiles being a werewolf will entail for the future.

Other family members are gathered in other parts of the house waiting in anticipation to meet the newest wolf of the pack. Today we were supposed to go on a run through the woods, and now Stiles can join us, all while exploring his new abilities. "You're thinking too loud. Go back to sleep." Stiles digs a little more into my neck and I can't but to let out a small laugh.

"Sorry, but we really should get up. You've got a big day ahead of you."

He groans, "Do I have to? I would very much rather stay right where I'm at."

"Yes, Stiles. The rest of the family wants to welcome you into the pack, again, you have to talk to mom about controlling the wolf, and then we are going on a run later."

"UH! But I am so warm and cozy right here."

"Stiles." I meant to say his name as a reprimand but it ended up coming out more as an endearment.

Sighing, "I know, I know. Plus I have a few more questions about Mates. I mean, how is that stuff determined? Is there some kind of special link between us now? What all does being Mates entail?"

"Well, I know that as a pair of Mates grows stronger they can start to feel the other's emotions to some degree, and that they almost always know where the other is."

"That's how I found you last night! I didn't know where to go, but then I just got this feeling, and I knew you would be at the tree house!"

"Yeah, mom said that sometimes it can happen with a human Mate too, but that it wasn't as common. "

He blushes. "Well there I go, having to be the special flower and all."

"You are special, but not the way you mean." I nuzzle into his cheek. "Plus, that should make you a stronger wolf. Probably helps to explain why you have such amazing control already."

"Maybe."

"What else could it be?"

"I know last night I said I thought you were one of my anchors, but I really think that's true. The fact that you were anchoring me even before I was turned might have something to do with it as well."

"I was already your anchor? For what?"

His voice goes quiet. So quite that I am sure I am the only one who can hear him right now. "Whenever I felt a panic attack coming on I thought of you. I don't get them very often anymore, but right after we figured out that Kate was a Hunter, I might have had one or two."

Instantly, the need to check him over for any damage or areas that hurt is overwhelming. As if sensing my need he bares his throat and I latch onto it quickly. Eventually I get myself under control and I am able to pull back. "Sorry."

"Don't be. I totally get that feeling now." His fingers start tracing random patterns on my abdomen while the other hand is twined with mine in a vice like grip.

"What about the other stuff?"

It takes me a minute to realize what he is talking about. "Oh, uh, no one really knows how or why the Mate bond is created. Not every wolf finds their Mate. My Grandfather and Grandmother weren't Mates, but they were happy. Mom found dad, but it wasn't until they were older. The fact that we have each other is rare, that we found each other so young is almost unheard of."

"So does that mean we will be together forever?"

"If that's what you want. I'll be around for as long as you'll take me. I won't love anyone else. I know we're young, but I know that to be true now." My voice is smaller than I would have liked, but the last part I make sure to say with conviction.

"Ditto, Sourwolf." He pulls me into a kiss and we don't stop until we are both gasping for air. Then there is a knock on the door.

"Boys, breakfast is on the table. We have a few things to talk about so you better come down and get some before it gets cold." Dad walks back down the stairs. It takes us a little bit to get up and get dressed. Stiles goes for one of my shirts without asking and it makes my wolf hum in happiness. He is giving into the instinct without a second thought. Not a question in his mind. He notices me watching him and comes over to lay a gentle kiss on my lips before walking out the door so that I can get changed.

He is keeping up some boundaries like I asked him for. I just don't want to mess things up between us and take things too fast. I will love him no matter what, but I am just not ready for more than kissing and cuddling right now.

He is waiting outside my door for me and we go downstairs to meet up with the rest of my family. His family. _Our _family. It feels good to think that. He is a part of me and part of the pack, but he is also a part of the family. Always will be.

The pack greets him and we eat breakfast answering many more questions like we have the past two days. Stiles' father sits on the fringe of conversations and rarely joins in unless he is asked a direct question. He is still a little unsettled about the whole reveal. But with time, he will come to see that we are nothing to fear, and will always be there for him. I know that is how mom wants him to feel. "So when is this run gonna happen?"

Stiles always was a tad bit impatient. But I feel the same way. It has been forever since we have been able to really run as wolves and let loose a little. Now that the Hunters are busy trying to deal with one of their own, we should be safe for a little while. Yes, there will be some backlash, but she got caught. Most times when that happens the group they are with lets them serve their time for their own stupidity. I doubt that she will just be forgotten though. She is an Argent. They were one of the first hunting families to pop up, and remain one of the most prominent families to carry on their traditions.

"Soon, pup. First I think it would be best if you and your father had a moment to really sit down and talk. We have told him a few things this morning, but I think that he will take it better coming from you." He nods. "Okay, then why don't you go to my study? You will have some privacy there."

"Can Derek come with me?" I look more to dad than to Talia. I am sure she won't mind and I really need dad to be okay with all of this and with him. She nods, and dad just looks a bit shaken by everything. He nods as well and starts making his way to Talia's office. Derek lays his hand on my arm and looks at me questioningly.

"Are you sure? I can wait out here for you." His eyes say all the words he doesn't. 'I love you, I trust you, thank you.'

"Yeah. Dad needs to know about these things, and while I know a lot, I still don't know everything. Plus I want you there. I'm still not sure how I have maintained so much control and I need you to stop me if I need stopped." Squeezing my arm and placing a light kiss on my forehead we start to make our way to the study as well.

When we get there dad is pacing back and forth in front of the couch and is running his hand over his tired face. It doesn't look like he got much sleep last night, and he could probably use a shave, but as soon as we enter the room he turns to us and sits down on the sofa. Derek and I take two chairs that are close to one another. Our hands are joined, I need the contact as much as he does. Especially after his reveal last night.

"So, dad, werewolves." I laugh nervously and he gives his own quivering chuckle. "Do, you, uh, have any questions?"

"Stiles." He says my name exhaustedly. "What have you gotten yourself into?" He turns to Derek, "No offense son, but this is a dangerous life. Hunters, no control, full moons? Kid, I don't really know what to say."

Derek squeezes my hand as my face falls from my father's. "I know dad. But this is a life I would have chosen even without receiving the bite. They're family, dad. Talia can help me with controlling my new instincts and the Hunters won't be too much of a problem right now. They will be too focused on trying to get Kate off to come after us. The pack is a strong unit together. And Derek.."

Normally talking isn't something I have a problem with, but I can tell that dad isn't getting on the whole werewolf thing. "Sir, what Stiles is trying to say is that we won't let anything happen to him. Last night notwithstanding, we generally lead a quiet life. Yes, it does bring some dangers, but if he is with us, he won't have to face them alone."

Dad sighs before continuing. "Son, I'm not going to try to stop you from being a part of this. I know that you need it. I'm just not sure that I am ready to be thrown into this yet." He runs his hands over his face and through his hair again, trying to come to terms with everything that he has found out in the last twelve hours.

"Sir, with all due respect, you have to be ready. This is happening. Not to you maybe, but Stiles is going to need you. The pack will always be there for him, I will always be there for him, but without you it will me all that much harder for him."

"Derek, it's okay. He just needs time." I get it. I mean when I found out about Derek and the girls, I needed some time too.

"No. Derek's right."

"Dad, really. It's okay."

"No it isn't. I'm always gonna be there for you kid. No matter what. This is going to take some time to wrap my head around, but I will. It isn't up to you to take care of me. I'm your father, you need me, and I will be there for you." Derek lets go of my hand as I cross the room to wrap my dad in a hug. "Your mother would be so proud of you son. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, dad." There really isn't too much more to say after that. I mean there still might be some things to talk about, but all of that can wait for now.

Dad pulls back from the hug and holds a hand out to Derek to shake. "Now, I know that you and my son are together, so I expect you at dinner sometime this week." Derek shakes his hand and pales a bit, but nods his head in agreement. "Why don't you kids go. I know the rest of the… pack, is waiting on you for that run. Just… be careful, okay son."

"Yeah, dad. I love you."

"Love you too, son." We hug one more time and then exit the study back to the kitchen.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, Talia. Everything's good. Now how about that run?"

We move outside to where the rest of the pack is waiting. Most of them are fully shifted into their wolf forms with only a few in their Beta. They once told me that only born wolves can make the full shift. Part of me is jealous that I won't be able to share that with the rest of them. "Okay, now I want you to release some of your control on the wolf. Let it take over your senses while keeping the instinct in your power. It isn't easy, but if you can do this, then you can make the shift into the Beta form."

I nod at her and reach inside myself for the wolf that I know resides within me. I can feel it, just waiting to come out and for me to release control. But I do as Talia said, let it take over my senses while keeping it in check. As I do, I can feel the change happening. My eyes burn with power, my forehead elongates as my teeth and claws sharpen and lengthen. I grin a feral a smile, but it is received with a few shocked looks. At first I don't know why, but then I can feel the change going further than it was supposed to. I am pitched forward and my bones start morphing in a way I have only witnessed once with Derek and the girls. It isn't painful like they said, but it so unexpected that I can feel my breathing starting to get shallower.

Derek appears in front of me as my panic attack starts. "Stiles, let it happen. Don't fight it. I know you weren't expecting this, but you have to go with it. Okay?" I nod and match my breathing to his. The change continues and Derek is shredding my clothes so that I won't get stuck in them. Fur spreads down my body and before I know it the change is done. I take a few steps forward trying to figure out how to move in this new form, but my instincts are helping me acclimate. It takes no time at all for me to be darting around the back yard sniffing at the other wolves. One smell gets me more than the others. Derek is still kneeling where I left him. He is staring at me in what must me wonder. "Mom, how is this possible?"

I take my first look at myself. White fur covers my entire body. I can hear a few snaps of a camera and when I turn, Laura and Erica are leaning over Erica's phone trying to get a few good pictures of me. Good, then I will get to really see what I look like later. "I'm not sure Derek. No bitten wolf has ever been able to make the full transformation. Maybe it's because he has wolf blood in his heritage. There is a lot about the wolf that not even we have knowledge of." She turns to me and pulls my focus to her. "This doesn't change anything. The way to stay in control remains the same. Keep you anchors in the forefront of your mind and you will be just fine." She reaches out and slowly caresses the side of my new face then scratches behind my ear. And yeah, that is so something I can totally take more of. Now I know why the others turn into puppies when I do this to them.

Then I feel the pull of Derek as he starts to remove his own clothing. I trot over to him and bump up against his legs. "Hey." He bends down chuckling. Then looks me in the eyes as his hands roam over my fur. "You know, you're beautiful." I give a little yip. "I mean it. I've never seen fur like this before, it's brilliant, just like you." He scratches behind my ears lightly, and I let myself lean into it a little.

He pulls his hands away and then finishes taking off his clothes, then making the change himself. His black fur curls around mine as we sniff and make contact with each other. The wolf part of me wants to take over and run wild, but Derek is keeping me grounded and letting me overcome the urge. We stay close to each other as the rest of the pack waits for Talia to shift so we can start the run. When she finally does she lets loose a howl to the sky and the rest of us follow suit. The need to answer her call it too much, but it feels amazing.

After the howl is ended, Talia takes off into the trees and we all quickly follow. Derek is at my side and I can tell that Erica and Laura are close by as well. Not everyone stays together, but for the most part they are all within sight of everyone else in the pack. Erica nips at my heels and then races out ahead of me quickly followed by Laura. Derek yips in happiness and we both dart off after them.

…

I'm not sure how long we run. It feels like no time at all before we are all making our way back to the house. Night as fallen and I may or may not have eaten a rabbit that Derek and I caught together. I am trying not to dwell on it too much, it will be better that way.

We shift back and there are some clothes waiting for me on the steps so that I won't be naked. Although I am noticing that the wolves are pretty much okay with themselves with or without clothes. "So what do you think?"

Derek's shy hesitance is cute. He ducks his head and scratches his arm looking so unsure. I pull him into a hug and plant a kiss on his cheek. "That was some of the most fun I have ever had! I can't wait to do it again!"

He picks me up and spins us in a circle that is so romantically cliché that I melt a little on the inside. We are laughing and he ends up losing his balance and we both go down on the ground in a giggling heap. "I love you[,] Stiles. I'm sorry it took me so long to realize it, but I do love you." I can't say anything in response because I am too choked up with emotion from the last few days. So I kiss him. It's the most passionate kiss we have shared, and I can't wait for more.

I don't know what the future will bring for us, Kate has been handled, and I know that dad will get her accomplices taken care of. But as long as we have each other, I know that we can handle whatever comes our way. It won't always be bright and happy, but what life ever is? I can't wait to spend the rest of mine with him.

* * *

Sorry for making you guys wait so long for this one. I wanted to add more, but I really didn't have anywhere else to go with this one. Everything I had planned for it happened.

But I do have a sequel planned for this. It is going to take place about six years after this one ends. The same time that the show starts. It will involve Gerard getting his dues and bringing Isaac in. He is going to be the age he is on the show, so he will be six years younger than Stiles and Derek. Same age as Cora.

The next story I am going to try and work on is the Derek point of view of the True series. It I don't know how long it will take to get it up, but hopefully not too long.

If you guys have any questions let me know, and please tell me what you thought of my story. I made it so it can stand on it's own, but left it open enough to continue, so I hope you're not too mad.

Until next time!


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